This paper considers quality control in a program that distributes subsidized food. The standard theory of price controls and participatory approaches to food security both suggest that the quality of subsidized food and distribution services may be lower in vulnerable communities. We examine...

We use changes in indices of revealed comparative advantage in 1240 products to study whether export diversification is path-dependent (i.e., history matters); whether it is more difficult to diversify into more sophisticated products; and whether education helps reduce path dependence, or helps...

We provide the first evidence that low- and middle-income countries with high education levels were more successful in developing comparative advantage in products unrelated to those they already export. In contrast, controlling for the relatedness of target products to these countries’...

We study changes in 130 countries' indices of revealed comparative advantage for 1,240 products between 1995 and 2010, to answer: (i) whether export diversification is path-dependent, and whether it is more difficult to diversify into more sophisticated products; and (ii) whether education helps...

Theft rates from subsidized food programs vary greatly and strongly influence program efficiency. Unfortunately, the determinants of these variations remain understudied because the agencies that run these programs seldom publicize the allocations of subsidized food to local markets. We develop...

We provide the first evidence that low- and middle-income countries with high education levels were more successful in developing comparative advantage in products unrelated to those they already export. In contrast, controlling for the relatedness of target products to these countries' exports,...

Building on a detailed analysis of qualitative data collected from formal Indian apparel manufacturers and sector experts, we develop a theory to predict the effects of labor regulations on monopolistically competitive manufacturing firms' production decisions. The theory clarifies how these...

For decades, the literature on the estimation of production functions has focused on the elimination of endogeneity biases through different estimation procedures to obtain the correct factor elasticities and other relevant parameters. Theoretical discussions of the problem correctly assume that...