Coupling Labor Supply Decisions: An Experiment in India,

Abstract

Joint household decision-making becomes more common as economies develop. Can external intervention advance this transition? We study this question in the context of female employment in India. We randomized which spouse was given a ticket enabling enrollment in a women’s weaving job, and cross-randomized the other to receive no information about the ticket, information, or information and discussion with their spouse. Academic and local experts predict information and discussion should raise enrollment. Instead, information had no effect, and discussion reduced enrollment by 50%. We do not find an effect of giving the wife the job ticket rather than the husband. Our results show that interventions toward joint decision-making about an opportunity can lower take-up.