Job Market Paper

Can Interventions Targeting Community Attitudes Improve Education for Marginalized Students? Evidence from a Mixed-Methods Experimental Design in Zimbabwe

This paper uses a quasi-randomized field experiment in Zimbabwe to understand the impact of a large-scale intervention targeting community attitudes. I measure the impact that the program has had on attitudes, the behaviour of teachers and caregivers, and the learning and progression outcomes of at-risk youth. The quantitative survey and learning assessment data I use for this is complemented by transcripts from focus groups and interviews, which I analyze using innovative text mining methods to measure changes in community sentiment towards marginalized groups.

QUANTITY COMMITMENTS IN MULTIUNIT AUCTIONS: EVIDENCE FROM CREDIT EVENT AUCTIONS

Credit Default Swaps (CDS) are financial derivative products that insure bond investors against firm-default. Determining the payout, however, is complicated because the outstanding value of the insurance is larger than the debt outstanding. The value of a bond is also heterogeneous. CDS payouts are therefore determined in a two-stage auction. In the first stage dealers commit to either supply or purchase a fixed quantity at the unknown final price. Then, the excess supply or demand is announced and a multiunit uniform price auction is held to determine the market clearing price.

The Impact of Hospital Closures and Mergers on Patient Welfare

We use data on a large wave of directed hospital mergers and closures in Ontario to investigate the impact of hospital reorganization on patient welfare. We estimate a model of patient hospital choice on data collected before the reorganization, finding that both distance and hospital quality are determinants of choice. The model is then used to determine the short-run and long-run welfare impact of reorganization. Results suggest that cost savings and efficiency are not the only factors to consider when restructuring in settings where patients do not pay for services.

The Impact of Hospital Closures and Mergers on Patient Welfare

We use data on a large wave of directed hospital mergers and closures in Ontario to investigate the impact of hospital reorganization on patient welfare. We estimate a model of patient hospital choice on data collected before the reorganization, finding that both distance and hospital quality are determinants of choice. The model is then used to determine the short-run and long-run welfare impact of reorganization. Results suggest that cost savings and efficiency are not the only factors to consider when restructuring in settings where patients do not pay for services.

Within-city Income Inequality, Neighborhood Gentrification, and House Prices

This paper studies the effects of rising income inequality on residential patterns and house prices within a city. I develop a monocentric city model where household location, house prices, and housing supply respond to changes in income distribution. The household chooses housing quality and a residential location within the city. The key feature of the model is that the net cost of living further the city centre consists of a common component, and a component that is increasing with income.

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