Information, Mobile Communication, and Referral Effects

2023/04/27 by Panle Jia Barwick, Yanyan Liu, Eleonora Patacchini +1 · 1 voice
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Engineering · Social Sciences · #ICT Impact and Policies #Regional Economics and Spatial Analysis #Social Capital and Networks

paper · doi:10.1257/aer.20200187

openalex publication_date 2023/04/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15

Abstract

This paper uses the universe of cellphone records from a Chinese telecommunication provider for a northern Chinese city to examine the role of information exchange in urban labor markets. We provide the first direct evidence of increased communication among referral pairs around job changes. Information provided by social contacts mitigates information asymmetry and improves labor market performance. (JEL D82, J62, O18, P23, P25, R23, Z13)

Citations

• The Strength of Weak Ties
• Firms and Labor Market Inequality: Evidence and Some Theory
• Behavior Revealed in Mobile Phone Usage Predicts Credit Repayment
• The Effect of Information on Product Quality: Evidence from Restaurant Hygiene Grade Cards
• When Strong Ties are Strong: Networks and Youth Labour Market Entry
• Birthplace diversity and economic prosperity

Discussions

• https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20200187 [bsky, 0 points, 1 comments]

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