Dissertation
ESSAYS ON ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AND POLICY RESPONSES DURING COVID-19
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
2026
Abstract
This dissertation investigates the intersections of public health policy, technological adaptation, and household stability in the context of a developing economy during a period of unprecedented global shock. The first essay examines the impact of COVID-19 vaccination mandates on labor force participation. By utilizing a multidimensional index of conservative ideology as an instrumental variable, the study finds that vaccination increased participation by 17.8 percent. The results suggest that in environments with high informality and strict enforcement, health mandates function as administrative “labor licenses” rather than traditional productivityenhancing human capital investments. The second essay explores digital readiness as a shield for income. Tracking individuals over a five-year panel, the analysis reveals that while reactive digital adoption in 2020 yielded negligible gains due to logistical collapses, strategic readiness by 2021 resulted in a 13.2 percent income premium. The findings demonstrate that e-commerce serves a dual role: acting as a vital safety net for low-skilled workers while serving as a productivity multiplier for high-skilled professionals in urban centers. The third essay analyzes the economic consequences of household dissolution. The results document a significant “Added Worker Effect,” where dissolution drives a 15.8 percentage point increase in female labor supply, primarily within the informal sector. However, this increased labor intensity fails to offset a 21.8 percent drop in per capita income. The study identifies a consumption smoothing paradox, where stable aggregate spending masks a regressive reallocation toward essential food items, crowding out long-term human capital investment. Collectively, these essays underscore the limitations of generic policy responses and the necessity of targeted, shock-responsive infrastructure to safeguard vulnerable populations in emerging markets.
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Details
- Title
- ESSAYS ON ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AND POLICY RESPONSES DURING COVID-19
- Creators
- HECTOR alberto BOTELLO penaloza
- Contributors
- Jeffrey Luckstead (Advisor)Bidisha Mandal (Committee Member)Seollee Park (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- School of Economic Sciences
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 114
- Identifiers
- 99901393504101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation