Returns to Capital in Microenterprises: Evidence from a Field Experiment

S-Tier
Journal: Quarterly Journal of Economics
Year: 2008
Volume: 123
Issue: 4
Pages: 1329-1372

Score contribution per author:

2.681 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We use randomized grants to generate shocks to capital stock for a set of Sri Lankan microenterprises. We find the average real return to capital in these enterprises is 4.6%–5.3% per year), substantially higher than market interest rates. We then examine the heterogeneity of treatment effects. Returns are found to vary with entrepreneurial ability and with household wealth, but not to vary with measures of risk aversion or uncertainty. Treatment impacts are also significantly larger for enterprises owned by males; indeed, we find no positive return in enterprises owned by females.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:oup:qjecon:v:123:y:2008:i:4:p:1329-1372.
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-26