CellPhones
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Cell phones in developing economies
How do cell phones affect economic growth in countries where communications infrastructure is poor?
A recent paper covered in the Economist suggests that cell phones have reduced waste in fisheries, by giving boats price information before they return to shore. They can choose profitable markets for their catch. The reduction in waste increases the total value of the catch by 5% or more. Better arbitrage and lower information costs result in a sustained productivity gain.
There is lots more to the story here than simple arbitrage opportunities. Communications technology lowers the cost of information for all parties on the network. This should result in lower barriers to entry, lower transaction costs, more innovation, higher productivity, and access to many more customers.
Please add your questions, thoughts, and suggestions.
Who's interested?
Ben Mazzotta
Saleha Habibullah
Ryan Chisholm
(please add yourself to this list)
Modeling issues
- Firms and households are agents in the economy
- Market access: how do firms find customers?
- Innovation: simple productivity gains, or development of new economic niches?
Financial transactions via text message
Recently cell phone companies have permitted credits (essentially a form of cash) to be transferred among users via text message. This system of payments is a rudimentary financial service for households, potentially in competition with microfinance and the formal financial sector.