Identifying Causal Channels of Policy Reforms with Multiple Treatments and Different Types of Selection
Journal
Journal of Econometric Methods
Type
forthcoming
Author(s)
Abstract (De)
We study the identification of channels of policy reforms with multiple treatments and different types of selection for each treatment. We disentangle reform effects into policy effects, selection effects, and time effects under the assumption of conditional independence, common trends, and an additional exclusion restriction on the non-treated. Furthermore, we show the identification of direct- and indirect policy effects after imposing additional sequential conditional independence assumptions on mediating variables. We illustrate the approach using the German reform of the allocation system of vocational training for unemployed persons. The reform changed the allocation of training from a mandatory system to a voluntary voucher system. Simultaneously, the selection criteria for participants changed, and the reform altered the composition of course types. We consider the course composition as a mediator of the policy reform. We show that the empirical evidence from previous studies reverses when considering the course composition. This has important implications for policy conclusions.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SEPS - Quantitative Economic Methods
Refereed
Yes
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Contact Email Address
anthony.strittmatter@unisg.ch
Eprints ID
261370
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
manuscript_01112020.pdf
Size
558.75 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
578db86f3fa298ff6a1781d2c6cc246f