Ulric B. and Evelyn L. Bray Social Sciences Seminar
Baxter Lecture Hall
Information, Mobile Communication, and Referral Effects
Eleonora Patacchini,
Visiting Associate in Economics, Caltech; Stephen and Barbara Friedman Professor of International Political Economy, Cornell University,
Abstract: This paper uses the universe of cellphone records from a Chinese telecommunication provider to examine the role of information exchange in urban labor markets. We provide the first direct evidence of increased communication around job changes among referral pairs. Information provided by social contacts mitigates information asymmetry and improves labor market performance.
Written with Panle Jia Barwick, Yanyan Liu, and Qi Wu.
For more information, please contact Letty Diaz by phone at 626-395-1255 or by email at [email protected].