imprint:
Cambridge, Mass: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2019
Published in:NBER working paper series ; no. w25866
Extent:
1 Online-Ressource; illustrations (black and white)
Language:
English
DOI:
10.3386/w25866
Identifier:
Reproduction note:
Hardcopy version available to institutional subscribers
Origination:
Footnote:
System requirements: Adobe [Acrobat] Reader required for PDF files
Mode of access: World Wide Web
Description:
Hirschman's (1970) seminal thesis that enabling worker "voice" prevents exit from the employment relationship has played a foundational role in labor economics. We provide the first experimental test of this hypothesis in a real-world setting via a randomized controlled trial in Indian garment factories. Just after what proved to be a disappointing wage hike, workers were chosen at random to participate in an anonymous survey in which they were asked for feedback on job conditions, supervisor performance, and overall job satisfaction. Enabling voice in this manner reduced turnover and absenteeism after the hike, particularly for the most disappointed workers