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Scarcity at the End of the Month: First Results from a Field Experiment in Bangladesh

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  • Emily Breza
  • Martin Kanz
  • Leora Klapper

Abstract

This paper reports results of a ?eld experiment designed to test how the timing of wage payments a?ects consumption and ?nancial behaviors. Salaried employees in a large manufacturing ?rm were paid a bonus equal to approximately 10-15% of their monthly wage. While the amount of the bonus was held constant across all workers, the experiment randomly varied its timing: in a treatment group, workers received the bonus one week before the regular payday – the time when they are most likely to experience ?nancial constraints. In a control group, workers receive the pre-announced bonus on the ?rm’s regular payday.

Suggested Citation

  • Emily Breza & Martin Kanz & Leora Klapper, 2017. "Scarcity at the End of the Month: First Results from a Field Experiment in Bangladesh," Working Papers id:11993, eSocialSciences.
    • Handle: RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:11993
    Note: Institutional Papers
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    References listed on IDEAS

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