Training microentrepreneurs over Zoom: Experimental evidence from Mexico

Elwyn Davies, Peter Deffebach, Leonardo Iacovone and David McKenzie

Journal of Development Economics, 2024, vol. 167, issue C

Abstract: Standard in-person business training programs are costly and difficult to scale to the millions of microenterprises in the developing world. We conduct an experiment to test the feasibility, cost-savings, and impact of delivering live training sessions over Zoom to microentrepreneurs in Mexico and Guatemala. We demonstrate that it is now feasible to both recruit and train self-employed women online, covering a wide geographic area, with few technology issues. However, the cost-savings over in-person classes are less than expected. Training improved business practices and performance over 2 months, but impacts had dissipated within 6 months.

Keywords: Business training; Microenterprises; Digital delivery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J24 L26 O12 O17 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:deveco:v:167:y:2024:i:c:s0304387823002006

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2023.103244

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