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Social Learning among Urban Manufacturing Firms: Energy-Efficient Motors in Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • Chaurey, Ritam

    (Johns Hopkins SAIS)

  • Nayyar, Guarav

    (The World Bank)

  • Sharma, Siddharth

    (The World Bank)

  • Verhoogen, Eric

    (Columbia University)

Abstract

Knowledge spillovers among firms are widely viewed as a key driver of agglomeration and growth, but are difficult to estimate cleanly. We randomly allocated an energy-efficient motor – a “servo'” motor – among leather-goods firms in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and tracked adoption, information flows, beliefs about energy savings, and other variables. We use the difference between actual exposure and expected exposure (from simulated randomization draws) to identify the effect of exposure. We find a robust positive effect of exposure to treated neighbors within a small geographic area (500 meters in our baseline specification) on information flows and adoption. A marginal value of public funds (MVPF) calculation taking learning spillovers into account yields a significantly larger value than one considering only treated firms and suggests that adoption subsidies would be a cost-effective policy intervention.

Suggested Citation

  • Chaurey, Ritam & Nayyar, Guarav & Sharma, Siddharth & Verhoogen, Eric, 2025. "Social Learning among Urban Manufacturing Firms: Energy-Efficient Motors in Bangladesh," IZA Discussion Papers 18183, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18183
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • L67 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Other Consumer Nondurables: Clothing, Textiles, Shoes, and Leather Goods; Household Goods; Sports Equipment
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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