Abstract
We report the results of a cost-effective intervention to improve workers’ performance in small cassava processing firms in Ghana. We train workers to track
their daily output and then randomly assign a sub-sample to set daily production goals. Achieving or missing a goal does not carry monetary consequences. Goal setting increases workers’ output by 16%, their productivity by 8% and
the average product of labor in firms by 13%. Goal setting is particularly effective for piece-rate workers, increasing their output by 32% and productivity
by 24%. While not conclusive, evidence suggests that goals serve as a selfregulation device
their daily output and then randomly assign a sub-sample to set daily production goals. Achieving or missing a goal does not carry monetary consequences. Goal setting increases workers’ output by 16%, their productivity by 8% and
the average product of labor in firms by 13%. Goal setting is particularly effective for piece-rate workers, increasing their output by 32% and productivity
by 24%. While not conclusive, evidence suggests that goals serve as a selfregulation device
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Review of Economics and Statistics |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - Nov 2024 |
Keywords
- behavioral constraints
- goals setting
- management practices
- small firms
- informal business
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Replication Data for: Improving Workers' Performance in Small Firms: A Randomized Experiment on Goal Setting in Ghana
Cettolin, E. (Creator), Cole, K. (Creator) & Dalton, P. (Creator), Harvard Dataverse, 6 Nov 2024
DOI: 10.7910/DVN/VZDBQF
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