IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/wbk/wbrwps/6097.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Collecting high frequency panel data in Africa using mobile phone interviews

Author

Listed:
  • Croke, Kevin
  • Dabalen, Andrew
  • Demombynes, Gabriel
  • Giugale, Marcelo
  • Hoogeveen, Johannes

Abstract

As mobile phone ownership rates have risen in Africa, there is increased interest in using mobile telephony as a data collection platform. This paper draws on two pilot projects that use mobile phone interviews for data collection in Tanzania and South Sudan. The experience was largely a success. High frequency panel data have been collected on a wide range of topics in a manner that is cost effective, flexible (questions can be changed over time) and rapid. And once households respond to the mobile phone interviews, they tend not to drop out: even after 33 rounds of interviews in the Tanzania survey, respondent fatigue proved not to be an issue. Attrition and non-response have been an issue in the Tanzania survey, but in ways that are related to the way this survey was originally set up and that are fixable. Data and reports from the Tanzania survey are available online and can be downloaded from: www.listeningtodar.org.

Suggested Citation

  • Croke, Kevin & Dabalen, Andrew & Demombynes, Gabriel & Giugale, Marcelo & Hoogeveen, Johannes, 2012. "Collecting high frequency panel data in Africa using mobile phone interviews," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6097, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:6097
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2012/08/28/000158349_20120828140526/Rendered/PDF/WPS6097.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lynn, Peter & Kaminska, Olena, 2011. "The impact of mobile phones on survey measurement error," ISER Working Paper Series 2011-07, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    2. Baird, Sarah & Hamory, Joan & Miguel, Edward, 2008. "Tracking, Attrition and Data Quality in the Kenyan Life Panel Survey Round 1 (KLPS-1)," Center for International and Development Economics Research, Working Paper Series qt3cw7p1hx, Center for International and Development Economics Research, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    3. Brian Dillon, 2012. "Using mobile phones to collect panel data in developing countries," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(4), pages 518-527, May.
    4. McKenzie, David, 2012. "Beyond baseline and follow-up: The case for more T in experiments," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(2), pages 210-221.
    5. Harold Alderman & Jere Behrman & Hans-Peter Kohler & John A. Maluccio & Susan Watkins, 2001. "Attrition in Longitudinal Household Survey Data," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 5(4), pages 79-124.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Stefano Della & Jörg Heining & Johannes F Schmieder & Simon Trenkle, 2023. "Evidence on Job Search Models from a Survey of Unemployed Workers in Germany," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 137(2), pages 1181-1232.
    2. Odozi, John Chiwuzulum & Oyelere, Ruth Uwaifo, 2019. "Conflict Exposure and Economic Welfare in Nigeria," GLO Discussion Paper Series 334, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Anubhab Gupta & Heng Zhu & Miki Khanh Doan & Aleksandr Michuda & Binoy Majumder, 2021. "Economic Impacts of the COVID−19 Lockdown in a Remittance‐Dependent Region," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(2), pages 466-485, March.
    4. Elisa M. Maffioli, 2020. "Collecting Data During an Epidemic: A Novel Mobile Phone Research Method," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(8), pages 1231-1255, November.
    5. Demombynes, Gabriel & Gubbins, Paul & Romeo, Alessandro, 2013. "Challenges and opportunities of mobile phone-based data collection : evidence from South Sudan," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6321, The World Bank.
    6. Atamanov, Aziz & Tandon, Sharad & Lopez-Acevedo, Gladys & Vergara Bahena, Mexico Alberto, 2020. "Measuring Monetary Poverty in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region: Data Gaps and Different Options to Address Them," IZA Discussion Papers 13363, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Gabrielle Wills & Servaas van der Berg & Leila Patel & Bokang Mpeta, 2020. "Household resource flows and food poverty during South Africa’s lockdown: Short-term policy implications for three channels of social protection," Working Papers 22/2020, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    8. Martin C. Parlasca, 2021. "A vital technology: Review of the literature on mobile phone use among pastoralists," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 780-799, May.
    9. Croke,Kevin & Dabalen, Andrew & Demombynes, Gabriel & Giugale, Marcelo & Hoogeveen, Johannes, 2013. "Collecting High-Frequency Data Using Mobile Phones: Do Timely Data Lead to Accountability?," World Bank - Economic Premise, The World Bank, issue 102, pages 1-5, January.
    10. Ambel, Alemayehu & McGee, Kevin & Tsegay, Asmelash, 2021. "Reducing Bias in Phone Survey Samples: Effectiveness of Reweighting Techniques Using Face-to-Face Surveys As Frames," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315301, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Johanna Choumert-Nkolo & Pascale Phelinas, 2018. "New paradigms for household surveys in low and middle income countries [Nouveaux paradigmes d'élaboration des enquêtes ménages dans les pays du Sud]," Working Papers halshs-01888609, HAL.
    12. Heath,Rachel & Mansuri,Ghazala & Rijkers,Bob & Seitz,William Hutchins & Sharma,Dhiraj, 2020. "Measuring Employment : Experimental Evidence from Urban Ghana," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9263, The World Bank.
    13. Kevin Croke & Andrew Dabalen & Gabriel Demombynes & Marcelo Giugale & Johannes Hoogeveen, 2013. "Collecting High-Frequency Data Using Mobile Phones : Do Timely Data Lead to Accountability?," World Bank Publications - Reports 17046, The World Bank Group.
    14. Etang Ndip,Alvin & Hoogeveen,Johannes G. & Lendorfer,Julia, 2015. "Socioeconomic impact of the crisis in north Mali on displaced people," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7253, The World Bank.
    15. Andrew Dabalen & Alvin Etang & Johannes Hoogeveen & Elvis Mushi & Youdi Schipper & Johannes von Engelhardt, 2016. "Mobile Phone Panel Surveys in Developing Countries," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 24595, December.
    16. Sangeetha Madhavan & Donatien Beguy & Shelley Clark, 2018. "Measuring extended families over time in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya: Retention and data consistency in a two-round survey," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 38(44), pages 1339-1358.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andrew Dabalen & Alvin Etang & Johannes Hoogeveen & Elvis Mushi & Youdi Schipper & Johannes von Engelhardt, 2016. "Mobile Phone Panel Surveys in Developing Countries," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 24595, December.
    2. Teresa Molina Millan & Karen Macours, 2017. "Attrition in randomized control trials: Using tracking information to correct bias," NOVAFRICA Working Paper Series wp1702, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Nova School of Business and Economics, NOVAFRICA.
    3. Abate, Gashaw T. & de Brauw, Alan & Hirvonen, Kalle & Wolle, Abdulazize, 2023. "Measuring consumption over the phone: Evidence from a survey experiment in urban Ethiopia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    4. Arslan, Aslihan & Taylor, J. Edward, 2011. "Whole-household migration, inequality and poverty in rural Mexico," Kiel Working Papers 1742, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    5. Loschiavo, David, 2021. "Big-city life (dis)satisfaction? The effect of urban living on subjective well-being," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 740-764.
    6. Francesca Marchetta & David E Sahn & Luca Tiberti, 2019. "The Role of Weather on Schooling and Work of Young Adults in Madagascar," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 101(4), pages 1203-1227.
    7. González, Felipe & Miguel, Edward, 2015. "War and local collective action in Sierra Leone: A comment on the use of coefficient stability approaches," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 30-33.
    8. Croke,Kevin & Dabalen, Andrew & Demombynes, Gabriel & Giugale, Marcelo & Hoogeveen, Johannes, 2013. "Collecting High-Frequency Data Using Mobile Phones: Do Timely Data Lead to Accountability?," World Bank - Economic Premise, The World Bank, issue 102, pages 1-5, January.
    9. Teresa Molina Millán & Karen Macours, 2017. "Attrition in randomized control trials: Using tracking information to correct bias," FEUNL Working Paper Series novaf:wp1702, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Economia.
    10. Nic Baigrie & Katherine Eyal, 2014. "An Evaluation of the Determinants and Implications of Panel Attrition in the National Income Dynamics Survey (2008-2010)," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 82(1), pages 39-65, March.
    11. Blumenstock, Joshua & Dillon, Brian & Aker, Jenny, 2020. "How Important is the Yellow Pages? Experimental Evidence from Tanzania," CEPR Discussion Papers 14489, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    12. Eduardo Nakasone & Maximo Torero, 2014. "Soap Operas for Female Micro Entrepreneur Training," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 87916, Inter-American Development Bank.
    13. Kevin Croke & Andrew Dabalen & Gabriel Demombynes & Marcelo Giugale & Johannes Hoogeveen, 2013. "Collecting High-Frequency Data Using Mobile Phones : Do Timely Data Lead to Accountability?," World Bank Publications - Reports 17046, The World Bank Group.
    14. William Jack & Tavneet Suri, 2014. "Risk Sharing and Transactions Costs: Evidence from Kenya's Mobile Money Revolution," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(1), pages 183-223, January.
    15. Lucia Dalla Pellegrina & Giorgio Di Maio & Paolo Landoni & Emanuele Rusinà, 2021. "Money management and entrepreneurial training in microfinance: impact on beneficiaries and institutions," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 38(3), pages 1049-1085, October.
    16. Marie Bjørneby & Annette Alstadsæter & Kjetil Telle, 2018. "Collusive tax evasion by employers and employees. Evidence from a randomized fi eld experiment in Norway," Discussion Papers 891, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    17. María laura Alzúa & Guillermo Cruces & Carolina Lopez, 2016. "Long-Run Effects Of Youth Training Programs: Experimental Evidence From Argentina," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 54(4), pages 1839-1859, October.
    18. Islam, Asadul & Nguyen, Chau & Smyth, Russell, 2015. "Does microfinance change informal lending in village economies? Evidence from Bangladesh," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 141-156.
    19. Janz, Teresa & Augsburg, Britta & Gassmann, Franziska & Nimeh, Zina, 2023. "Leaving no one behind: Urban poverty traps in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    20. Alan Gerber & Mitchell Hoffman & John Morgan & Collin Raymond, 2020. "One in a Million: Field Experiments on Perceived Closeness of the Election and Voter Turnout," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 12(3), pages 287-325, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    E-Business; Social Analysis; Social Accountability; E-Government; Participations and Civic Engagement;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:6097. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Roula I. Yazigi (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/dvewbus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.