Arbeitspapier

Collective action when public good returns are heterogeneous

We adopt a mixed methods approach to investigate whether and how heterogeneity in individual returns to a public good affects contributions. We engage smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka in: a one-shot, framed, lab-in-the-field experiment, within which the farmers' rates of return to the public good are exogenously varied; and a survey including a question about their willingness to contribute time to the construction of a specific, relevant to them public good. In the former, we find weak evidence that heterogeneity in individual returns increases contributions. In the latter we find that those facing higher returns contribute more. We conclude that heterogeneity in returns does not explain why collective action remains a challenge in farming communities in developing countries.

Language
Englisch

Bibliographic citation
Series: CREDIT Research Paper ; No. 17/05

Classification
Wirtschaft
Field Experiments
Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
Subject
lab-type behavioural experiment
collective action
heterogeneity
public goods

Event
Geistige Schöpfung
(who)
Barr, Abigail
Owens, Trudy
Perera, Ashira
Event
Veröffentlichung
(who)
The University of Nottingham, Centre for Research in Economic Development and International Trade (CREDIT)
(where)
Nottingham
(when)
2017

Handle
Last update
10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET

Data provider

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Object type

  • Arbeitspapier

Associated

  • Barr, Abigail
  • Owens, Trudy
  • Perera, Ashira
  • The University of Nottingham, Centre for Research in Economic Development and International Trade (CREDIT)

Time of origin

  • 2017

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