We study a recent recruitment drive for public sector positions in Mexico. Different salaries were announced randomly across recruitment sites, and job offers were subsequently randomized. Screening relied on exams designed to measure applicants’ intellectual ability, personality, and motivation.
…We find that higher wages attract more able applicants as measured by their IQ, personality, and proclivity towards public sector work – i.e., we find no evidence of adverse selection effects on motivation; higher wage offers also increased acceptance rates
…Distance and worse municipal characteristics strongly decrease acceptance rates but higher wages help bridge the recruitment gap in worse municipalities.
A new paper from Ernesto Dal Bo, Fred Finan, and Martin Rossi.
Not quite sure how they convinced the Mexican government to do this, but bravo.
38 Responses
Does better government pay lead to better government workers? http://t.co/ZyWj2B4h
Does better government pay lead to better government workers? http://t.co/y8AEJZOs via @cblatts #economics #employment #mexico
A study in Mexico explores if better government pay leads to better government workers http://t.co/1MjBeTD7 via @cblatts
RT @sumedh_rao: http://t.co/MCXwQliP Chris Blattman: Does better government pay lead to better government workers?
@cblatts @pegobry @adelaigue if so the US would have the best. 2x private sector pay. They don’t. Have never encountered more ignorant ones
@cblatts was there reason to believe it wouldn’t?
RT @cblatts: Apparently this link didn’t work yesterday? Fixed. “Does better government pay lead to better government workers?” http://t.co/P4i6inh8
RT @cblatts: Apparently this link didn’t work yesterday? Fixed. “Does better government pay lead to better government workers?” http://t.co/P4i6inh8
RT @cblatts: Apparently this link didn’t work yesterday? Fixed. “Does better government pay lead to better government workers?” http://t.co/P4i6inh8
@aspenici RT “@cblatts: “Does better government pay lead to better government workers?” http://t.co/GBF1cS5m”
@Ryan: Given that his next post is about a paper mentioned on Development Impact over 4 months ago, I think it’s far more likely Chris just hadn’t seen the DI post yet.
RT @adelaigue: cc @pegobry “@cblatts “Does better government pay lead to better government workers?” http://t.co/4EnJo6fJ”
RT @cblatts: Apparently this link didn’t work yesterday? Fixed. “Does better government pay lead to better government workers?” http://t.co/P4i6inh8
@adelaigue @cblatts Incentives work!
RT @adelaigue: cc @pegobry “@cblatts “Does better government pay lead to better government workers?” http://t.co/4EnJo6fJ”
cc @pegobry “@cblatts “Does better government pay lead to better government workers?” http://t.co/4EnJo6fJ”
RT@cblatts: Does better government pay lead to better government workers? http://t.co/XkQBI8PC
Apparently this link didn’t work yesterday? Fixed. “Does better government pay lead to better government workers?” http://t.co/P4i6inh8
RT @viewfromthecave: Does better government pay lead to better government workers? New experiment in Mexico points to yes via @cblatts http://t.co/VJ519VVv
Probably we both get the same email digest of articles each day. I would hope after all this time I deserve the benefit of the doubt.
@cblatts very good paper. See http://t.co/UqGlWvMt
No hat tip to Markus Goldstein’s Development Impact blog? It would be quite the coincidence if you both posted about this today. Is this different from what you shamed Freakonomics for?
I don’t mean to be overly critical. I’m just trying to needle you because I miss your substantive posts. Fewer tree houses, more analysis, por favor.
RT @viewfromthecave: Does better government pay lead to better government workers? New experiment in Mexico points to yes via @cblatts http://t.co/VJ519VVv
RT @cblatts: Does better government pay lead to better government workers? http://t.co/GjJVWpWA
RT @viewfromthecave: Does better government pay lead to better government workers? New experiment in Mexico points to yes via @cblatts http://t.co/VJ519VVv
Duh RT @viewfromthecave: Does better govnt pay lead to better govnt workers? New experiment in Mexico points to yes: http://t.co/wLSU25eb
RT @viewfromthecave: Does better government pay lead to better government workers? New experiment in Mexico points to yes via @cblatts http://t.co/VJ519VVv
Does better government pay lead to better government workers? New experiment in Mexico points to yes via @cblatts http://t.co/VJ519VVv
http://t.co/8DkwsOES Chris Blattman: Does better government pay lead to better government workers?
wrote a blog on IDB’s Development Impact blog back in may http://blogs.iadb.org/desarrolloefectivo_en/2012/05/18/randomizing-civil-service-reform/
Ask Kenyans RT @cblatts: Does better government pay lead to better government workers? http://t.co/xzvsTdV5 @kenyanpundit
Mejores salarios = mejores servidores públicos en México? (al parecer, sÃ). http://t.co/4xY9AXob via @cblatts
RT @cblatts: Does better government pay lead to better government workers? http://t.co/GjJVWpWA
Does better government pay lead to better government workers? http://t.co/RB7Mhj5t << new study from MX says yes via @cblatts
Link should be fixed
@cblatts Chris, can you repost the link? It doesn’t seem to work. I’m a govt worker who would love better pay. #willworkforitIpromise
Apparently, yes. RT @cblatts Does better government pay lead to better government workers? http://t.co/qwVJVHPf
RT @cblatts: Does better government pay lead to better government workers? http://t.co/GjJVWpWA