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Mobile Money and the Labor Market: Evidence from Developing Countries

Author

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  • Chiara, De Gasperin
  • Valentina, Rotondi
  • Luca, Stanca

Abstract

Mobile money can play an important role in improving financial inclusion and, as a consequence, employment outcomes, especially in areas where adequate financial infrastructures are lacking. In this paper, we study the effects of mobile money use on the employment outcomes of individuals in 8 developing countries. Our findings indicate that, relative to non-users, individuals who use mobile money are more likely to become self-employed and to receive a regular wage. In particular, the positive association between mobile money use and regular wage is found to be robust also when explicitly addressing the potential endogeneity of mobile mobile money. Overall, the evidence suggests that policies aimed at favoring access to and use of mobile money can provide an e ective and relatively inexpensive tool in the agenda for sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Chiara, De Gasperin & Valentina, Rotondi & Luca, Stanca, 2019. "Mobile Money and the Labor Market: Evidence from Developing Countries," Working Papers 403, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Mar 2019.
    • Handle: RePEc:mib:wpaper:403
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    Cited by:

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    2. Joël Cariolle & David A Carroll, 2020. "Digital Technologies for Small and Medium Enterprises and job creation in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers hal-03004583, HAL.
    3. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2023. "Microfinance institutions and female entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa: avoidable female unemployment thresholds," Working Papers 23/018, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mobile Money; Digital Revolution; Labor Market.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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