TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Jones, Sam
AU  - Sen, Kunal
        TI  - Labour Market Effects of Digital Matching Platforms: Experimental Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa
        PY  - 2022/Jun/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 15409
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/publications/dp15409
        AB  - Can digital labour market platforms reduce search frictions in formal or informal labour markets? We study this question using a randomized experiment embedded in a tracer study of the work transitions of graduates from technical and vocational colleges in Mozambique. We implement an encouragement design, inviting graduates by SMS to join established digital platforms: Biscate, a site to find freelancers for informal manual tasks; and Emprego, a conventional formal jobs website. In contrast to positive estimates of the contribution of both platforms to job outcomes from naïve (per-treatment) estimates, both intent-to-treat and complier average treatment effects are consistently zero in the full sample, while the impact on life satisfaction is negative. However, use of the informal jobs platform leads to better work outcomes for women, especially those with manual qualifications, for whom earnings rise by over 50%.
        KW  - digital labour platforms
KW  - search frictions
KW  - technical and vocational education
KW  - unemployment
KW  - Mozambique
        ER  -