Ronconi presented his paper titled “Nudges, Managerial Planning, and Small Firm Performance: Evidence from Online Commerce,” which explores the role of planning in entrepreneurship. The study focuses on behavioral frictions—challenges faced by entrepreneurs in their planning processes—and examines the impact of light-touch interventions designed to improve preparation for major commercial events such as Black Friday. Findings show that firms encouraged to plan in advance shifted their advertising strategies and inventory decisions, leading to a 4–6% increase in sales, particularly among those with existing digital capabilities.
The researcher analyzes close mayor elections in Brazil to estimate causal effects. The findings reveal that in municipalities where Pentecostal-affiliated mayors narrowly won, there was a 15% increase in teenage birth rates. The mechanism identified is the reduction of sexual education activities in municipal schools—an area where mayors hold direct influence through the appointment of school principals. The study finds no effect in state-run schools, where mayoral influence is limited.
“This was a great opportunity to present my work on behavioral frictions affecting small business planning and to engage in insightful discussions with colleagues from Universidad Católica. We had a full day of stimulating and productive conversations that will contribute to advancing our research,” said Ronconi.
The Institute of Economics was founded in 1972 and has become a nationally and internationally recognized center of academic excellence. It is part of the Faculty of Economics and Business at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
