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Incentives, information and malnutrition: Evidence from an experiment in India

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  • Singh, Prakarsh
  • Mitra, Sandip
Abstract
This study provides one of the first pieces of evidence comparing the effectiveness of different performance pay contracts among caregivers to improve child health. We carry out a cluster randomized controlled trial in urban slums of Kolkata, India covering 209 childcare centers to test three separate performance pay treatments in addition to providing information on the demand-side. We promise low or high absolute performance incentives to public sector caregivers where each bonus is based on improvements in health of 3–6 year old children under their care. We also test for the impact of relative incentives where the bonus depends upon a worker’s performance relative to her peers. All mothers in the treatment arms are also provided nutritional information. High absolute incentives to workers combined with nutritional information to mothers works to reduce severe malnutrition by 5 percentage points over three months. Relative incentives and low absolute incentives show no significant improvements in child health on average.

Suggested Citation

  • Singh, Prakarsh & Mitra, Sandip, 2017. "Incentives, information and malnutrition: Evidence from an experiment in India," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 24-46.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:93:y:2017:i:c:p:24-46
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2017.01.005
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    Cited by:

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    2. Singh, Prakarsh & Masters, William A., 2017. "Impact of caregiver incentives on child health: Evidence from an experiment with Anganwadi workers in India," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 219-231.
    3. Utteeyo Dasgupta & Subha Mani & Prakarsh Singh, 2020. "Searching for religious discrimination among childcare workers," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 362-382, May.
    4. Mullins, Jamie T., 2018. "Motivating emissions cleanup: Absolute vs. relative performance standards," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 66-92.
    5. Singh, Prakarsh & Masters, William A., 2020. "Performance bonuses in the public sector: Winner-take-all prizes versus proportional payments to reduce child malnutrition in India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Performance pay; Nutritional information; Child malnutrition; India;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy

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