Francisco P. Flores-Taipe
I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation at the University of Kassel on December 8th, 2023. I also hold a postdoctoral position at the Leibniz Universität Hannover.
I am in the Job Market in 2023.
My research agenda focuses on understanding how formal or informal knowledge acquisition influences individuals' beliefs, preferences, and behavior. More specifically, I aim to study whether simple and scalable interventions developed to expand individuals’ human capital can reduce the prevalent disparities in social and economic dimensions and promote upward social mobility.
Contact me at franciscopabloflores@gmail.com or check my CV.
- Scholar Google: Francisco P. Flores-Taipe
- ORCID: 0000-0001-8354-0472
Publications and Working Papers
Academic aspirations and income inequality: spillover effects of a video-based role model intervention among teenagers. (Job Market Paper)
Abstract: This article examines the influence of poverty on academic aspirations by introducing a novel approach that links academic preferences with potential economic returns. Using data from 16,570 Ecuadorian high school students, I document that low-income students set lower aspirations than their high-income peers only because of their position in the income distribution. Moreover, I report inconsistencies between academic preferences and earning expectations, making students, especially low-income students, susceptible to experiencing frustration. Data from a stratified randomized control trial indicate that video-based content featuring role models cannot reduce the gap between poor and rich students. However, it exhibits positive subgroup effects for low-income students. For instance, the aspiration level is 7% (midline) and 11.6% (endline) higher for low-income treatment than for low-income placebo students. It suggests that treated students could earn about 270.33 US$ more than their placebo peers each month. The increase accounts for 68% of the Ecuadorian basic salary. I report similarly positive results with different magnitudes for the subsample of mid-low and mid-high-income students. However, the estimates for the last two subgroups exhibit attrition bias. Findings suggest that media content exhibit promising potential to influence low-income adolescents’ decisions and economic outcomes through reinforcing aspirations.
Last presentation: SEET 2023. Workshop “Southern Europe Experimental Team´s Meeting” (Valencia, February 2nd and 3rd, 2023)
System-, Teacher-, and Student-level Interventions for Improving Participation in Online Learning at Scale in High Schools (with Asanov, Igor; Asanov (Noha), Anastasiya; Astebro, Thomas; Buenstorf, Guido; Crepón, Bruno; McKenzie, David; Mensmann, Mona; and Schulte, Mathis). PNAS 120 (30).
Remote-learning, time-use, and mental health of Ecuadorian high-school students during the COVID-19 quarantine (with Asanov, Igor; McKenzie, David; Mensmann, Mona; and Schulte, Mathis). World Development 138 (2021).
Work in Progress
Designing A Less Paternalistic Approach To Support Students' Academic Choices Using Role Models (with Asanov, Igor; Astebro, Thomas; Buenstorf, Guido; Crepón, Bruno; McKenzie, David; Mensmann, Mona; and Schulte, Mathis).
Showing Life Opportunities: Preliminary analysis of the effect of Entrepreneurial training (with Asanov, Igor; Asanov (Noha), Anastasiya; Astebro, Thomas; Buenstorf, Guido; Crepón, Bruno; McKenzie, David; Mensmann, Mona; and Schulte, Mathis).
Grants and Awards
2019 - Path to Scale Award
Innovation for Poverty Action (IPA)
Project: Showing Life Opportunities: Increasing opportunity-driven entrepreneurship and STEM careers through online courses in schools.
SIEF's COVID-19 Emergency Window (Grant)
The World Bank Group
Project: Transitioning from In-School to At-Home Virtual Learning in High Schools: Lessons from Ecuador during the Covid-19 shutdown
IGL Grants Program
Innovation Growth Lab
Project: Showing Life Opportunities: Increasing opportunity-driven entrepreneurship and STEM careers through online courses in schools