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Policy decisions and evidence use among civil servants: A group decision experiment in Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Metzger
  • Adnan Qadir Khan
  • Teddy Svoronos

Abstract

In a lab-in-field experiment with elite civil servants in Pakistan, we investigate whether groups outperform individuals in a two-staged task which requires effective use of data and evidence. We also study how efficiently groups harness their members' individual knowledge for problem-solving. We do not find a significant difference in individual (first stage) and group performance (second stage). Yet, groups could have significantly improved their performance during the second stage of the task, had they more efficiently collaborated to retrieve their members' respective knowledge. Carefully interpreted in the setting of our experiment, our data suggests that diversity in individual knowledge may hamper effective use of data and evidence for decision-making in small groups of policymakers.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Metzger & Adnan Qadir Khan & Teddy Svoronos, 2020. "Policy decisions and evidence use among civil servants: A group decision experiment in Pakistan," STICERD - Economic Organisation and Public Policy Discussion Papers Series 68, Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:stieop:68
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    File URL: https://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/dps/eopp/eopp68.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonas Hjort & Diana Moreira & Gautam Rao & Juan Francisco Santini, 2021. "How Research Affects Policy: Experimental Evidence from 2,150 Brazilian Municipalities," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(5), pages 1442-1480, May.
    2. Levy, Dan & Klinger, Mae & Svoronos, Theodore, 2018. "Two-Stage Examinations: Can Examinations Be More Formative Experiences?," Working Paper Series rwp18-032, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    3. Dan Levy & Mae Klinger & Theodore Svoronos, 2018. "Two-Stage Examinations: Can Examinations Be More Formative Experiences?," CID Working Papers 363, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    4. Gary Charness & Matthias Sutter, 2012. "Groups Make Better Self-Interested Decisions," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 26(3), pages 157-176, Summer.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gershoni, Naomi, 2021. "Individual vs. group decision-making: Evidence from a natural experiment in arbitration proceedings," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    evidence-based policy; adult learning; group decisions; lab-in-field experiment; civil servants; Pakistan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A29 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Other
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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