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Social Networks in Developing Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Yating Chuang
  • Laura Schechter

    (Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706)

Abstract

Social networks function as an important safety net in developing countries, which often lack formal financial instruments. Such networks are also an important source of information in developing countries with relatively low access to the Internet and literacy rates. We review the empirical literature that uses explicit social network data collected in developing countries. We focus on social networks as conduits for both monetary transfers and information. We also briefly discuss the network-formation literature and comment on data collection strategies, mentioning some areas we believe to be especially ripe for future study.

Suggested Citation

  • Yating Chuang & Laura Schechter, 2015. "Social Networks in Developing Countries," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 7(1), pages 451-472, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:anr:reseco:v:7:y:2015:p:451-472
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    File URL: http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-resource-100814-125123
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Konda, Bruhan & González‐Sauri, Mario & Cowan, Robin & Yashodha, Yashodha & Chellattan Veettil, Prakashan, 2021. "Social networks and agricultural performance: A multiplex analysis of interactions among Indian rice farmers," MERIT Working Papers 2021-030, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    2. Manchin, Miriam & Orazbayev, Sultan, 2018. "Social networks and the intention to migrate," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 360-374.
    3. Blumenstock, Joshua & Chi, Guanghua & Tan, Xu, 2019. "Migration and the Value of Social Networks," CEPR Discussion Papers 13611, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Garcia-Hernandez, Ana & Grossman, Guy & Michelitch, Kristin Grace, 2022. "Networks and the Size of the Gender Gap in Politician Performance Across Job Duties," OSF Preprints j7zg2, Center for Open Science.
    5. Mbugua, M. & Nzuma, J. & Muange, E. & Njuguna, M. & Jaeckering, L., 2018. "Social Networks and Household Dietary Diversity, Evidence from Smallholder Farmers in Kenya," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277341, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    6. László Lőrincz & Brigitta Németh, 2022. "How Social Capital is Related to Migration Between Communities?," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(5), pages 1119-1143, December.
    7. Mbugua, Mercy & Nzuma, Jonathan, 2020. "Effect of social networks on household dietary diversity: Evidence from smallholder farmers in Kisii and Nyamira counties, Kenya," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 15(3), September.
    8. Aron, Janine, "undated". "'Leapfrogging': a Survey of the Nature and Economic Implications of Mobile Money," INET Oxford Working Papers 2017-02, Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, revised Jan 2017.
    9. Arun Advani & Bansi Malde, 2018. "Credibly Identifying Social Effects: Accounting For Network Formation And Measurement Error," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 1016-1044, September.
    10. Arun Advani & Bansi Malde, 2014. "Empirical methods for networks data: social effects, network formation and measurement error," IFS Working Papers W14/34, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    11. Cynthia Kinnan & Krislert Samphantharak & Robert Townsend & Diego Vera-Cossio, 2019. "Insurance and Propagation in Village Networks," PIER Discussion Papers 115, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    12. Cesi Cruz & Benjamin A. T. Graham, 2022. "Social ties and the political participation of firms," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 117-142, January.
    13. Islam, Asadul & Ushchev, Philip & Zenou, Yves & Zhang, Xin, 2019. "The Value of Information in Technology Adoption," IZA Discussion Papers 12672, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Sharmistha Self & Richard Grabowski, 2018. "Factors influencing knowledge of HIV/AIDS in Nepal: role of socioeconomic interactions," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 20(1), pages 174-191, April.
    15. Inken von Borzyskowski & Patrick M Kuhn, 2020. "Dangerously informed: Voter information and pre-electoral violence in Africa," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 57(1), pages 15-29, January.
    16. Osman, Adam & Speer, Jamin D. & Weaver, Andrew, 2022. "Connections, Referrals, and Hiring Outcomes: Evidence from an Egyptian Establishment Survey," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 342-355.
    17. Luong, Tuan, 2023. "Network resilience and risk attitudes: Evidence from Vietnamese Vegetable Farming," 97th Annual Conference, March 27-29, 2023, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 334556, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    18. Ola, Oreoluwa & Menapace, Luisa, 2020. "Smallholders' perceptions and preferences for market attributes promoting sustained participation in modern agricultural value chains," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    19. Saxena, Vibhor & Bindal, Ishaan & LeMay-Boucher, Philippe, 2020. "Social groups and credit shocks: Evidence of inequalities in consumption smoothing," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 311-326.
    20. Annemie Maertens & Hope Michelson & Vesall Nourani, 2021. "How Do Farmers Learn from Extension Services? Evidence from Malawi," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(2), pages 569-595, March.
    21. Vibhor Saxena & Ishaan Bindal & Philippe LeMay-Boucher, 2019. "Social groups and credit shocks: Evidence of inequalities in consumption smoothing," Discussion Paper Series, School of Economics and Finance 201901, School of Economics and Finance, University of St Andrews.
    22. Simpson, Cohen R., 2022. "Social support and network formation in a small-scale horticulturalist population," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 116694, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    23. Zenou, Yves & Islam, Asad & Ushchev, Philip & Zhang, Xin, 2018. "The Value of Information in Technology Adoption: Theory and Evidence from Bangladesh," CEPR Discussion Papers 13419, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    24. Haenssgen, Marco J. & Charoenboon, Nutcha & Zanello, Giacomo, 2021. "You’ve got a friend in me: How social networks and mobile phones facilitate healthcare access among marginalised groups in rural Thailand and Lao PDR," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    social networks; technology adoption; information flows; development economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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