题目：Information, Intermediaries, and International Migration

主讲人：Samuel Bazzi, University of California, San Diego

时间：2024年4月9日（星期二）上午9:00-10:30

地点：线上Zoom会议

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82061782200?pwd=b4mbLlHfBqpl4VQogeo2CgaE9HiU8M.1

主讲人简介

Samuel Bazzi is a Professor of Economics in the School of Global Policy and Strategy and the Department of Economics at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). He is also a co-editor at the Journal of Development Economics. His recent work explores the nation-building process in diverse societies, migration and cultural change, and the political economy of religion. He has a particular interest in how individuals and states adapt to the challenges of diversity, with complementary work in the United States and Indonesia. Sam is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and a Fellow at the Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD). He is the recipient of a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award in 2020.

Abstract：

We conducted a randomized trial in Indonesia to study how information about labor intermediary quality shapes migration behavior. All else equal, intermediary-specific quality disclosure reduces the migration rate, cutting use of low-quality providers. Those who do migrate receive better pre-departure preparation and have improved experiences abroad. These results are not driven by changes in beliefs; nor does selection explain improved outcomes for those who migrate with quality disclosure. Our findings are consistent with an increase in the option value of search: with better ability to screen offers, workers search longer, select better intermediaries, and have better migration experiences.