The Problem. How do we distribute essential resources when supply is fixed and prices are regulated? Traditional rationing (intermittent supply) creates hidden inefficiencies. I analyzed how alternative market designs – such as flexible pricing or capacity quotas – could improve efficiency and equity.
While numerous studies examine mobile money adoption for firms and person-to-person transfers, evidence on electronic bill payments for utilities remains scarce. We address this gap with a randomized controlled trial in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where despite availability of multiple electronic payment channels, most households pay water bills in person. We randomly assign households to receive a discount or e-payment training. This design identifies price sensitivity and information barriers in utility payment digitalization, informing Ethiopia’s national digital transformation agenda.
National Bureau of Economic Research, 2025
[paper], [pre-analysis plan], [coverage by VoxDev]
Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2025
[published paper], [coverage by MRR Innovation Lab], [data and code]
Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 2022
[published paper], [data]