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  • 2023
  • Working Paper
  • HBS Working Paper Series

Targeting, Personalization, and Engagement in an Agricultural Advisory Service

By: Susan Athey, Shawn Cole, Shanjukta Nath and Jessica Zhu
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:63
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Abstract

ICT is increasingly used to deliver customized information in developing countries. We examine whether individually targeting the timing of automated voice calls meaningfully increases engagement in an agricultural advisory service. We define, estimate, and evaluate a novel recommendation system that customizes contact times to individual characteristics. This system generates significant gains, up to an 8% increase over the baseline pickup rate of 0.31. Our approach, delivered at scale, is well-suited for developing country settings. We show how to optimize around resource constraints, measure equity-efficiency trade-offs when targeting vulnerable groups, and evaluate the robustness of recommendations to technology or preference shocks.

Keywords

Developing Countries and Economies; Knowledge Dissemination; Customization and Personalization; Performance Effectiveness

Citation

Athey, Susan, Shawn Cole, Shanjukta Nath, and Jessica Zhu. "Targeting, Personalization, and Engagement in an Agricultural Advisory Service." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 24-006, August 2023.
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About The Author

Shawn A. Cole

Finance
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • September 2025
    • Journal of Development Economics

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More from the Authors
  • Using Satellites and Phones to Evaluate and Promote Agricultural Technology Adoption: Evidence from Smallholder Farms in India By: Shawn Cole, Tomoko Harigaya, Grady Killeen and Aparna Krishna
  • Getting to Net Zero: The Role of the Financial Sector By: Shawn Cole, Jonah Zahnd, Karina Chung and Jack Cenovic
  • Using Satellites and Phones to Evaluate and Promote Agricultural Technology Adoption: Evidence from Smallholder Farms in India By: Shawn Cole, Grady Killeen, Tomoko Harigaya and Aparna Krishna
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