Dissertation
Three essays in microeconomics
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
01/2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000004608
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/123306
Abstract
This dissertation consists of three essays in microeconomics. The first paper (co-authored with Joseph Cook) analyzes the value of time with and without a smartphone by eliciting the compensation required by subjects to wait for 30 minutes, alone in an empty room, under four different conditions that varied access to the subject’s smartphone. Subjects asked for significantly more to wait in the room with reduced access to their smartphones. Additionally, we find little correlation between a subject’s wages and her offers, emphasizing the importance of heterogeneity in the value of time that is based on context rather than income.
The second paper (co-authored with Joseph Cook) explores whether water rate progressivity is related to water scarcity and income inequality. Following an approach used in electricity, we calculate a measure of rate redistribution. We find no evidence that rate structures respond to water scarcity, but that rates are more redistributive in areas with higher income inequality. The correlation with income inequality becomes insignificant when we include controls for population served, affordability programs, publicly-owned utilities, and politics. However, we find that utilities serving larger population tend to have more redistributive rates.
The third paper (co-authored with Joseph Cook and David Fuente) investigates people’s bill payment behavior and debt patterns. In theory, a high moral cost of nonpayment or carrying debt incentivizes payment while high water costs increase nonpayment. In Nairobi, Kenya, water is inexpensive; however, at least half of the consumers regularly skip paying their bills. A behavioral based typology of payment behavior classified 80% percent of the water customers, with 50% being intermittent payer (skips paying then catches up with a sizable payment) and 8 to 10% each being exact payer (pays in full and on time), level payer (pays the same amount every time), and rarely payer (rarely pays) types.
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Details
- Title
- Three essays in microeconomics
- Creators
- Mary Tiana Randriamaro
- Contributors
- Joseph Cook (Advisor)Michael Brady (Committee Member)Ana Espinola-Arredondo (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Economic Sciences, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 150
- Identifiers
- 99900901140801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation