Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/158565 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Series/Report no.: 
Economics Discussion Papers No. 2017-23
Publisher: 
Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), Kiel
Abstract: 
Imagine an impoverished region that becomes eligible for a generous transfer programme (the treatment). Imagine difference-in-differences analysis (DiD)-a before-and-after comparison of the income-level handicap-shows that the handicap has risen. Most observers would conclude to the policy's inefficiency. The point made in this paper is that second thoughts are needed, because DiD rests heavily on the validity of a key assumption: parallel paths in the absence of treatment. What is more, when several pre-treatment periods are available in the data, it can easily be assessed and, if necessary, abandoned in favour of more relevant ones.
Subjects: 
treatment-effect analysis
difference-in-differences models
EU convergence policy
JEL: 
C21
R11
R15
O52
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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