{"type":"script","doc_desc":{"producers":[{"name":"Reproducibility WBG","abbr":"DIME","affiliation":"World Bank - Development Impact Department","role":"Verification and preparation of metadata"}],"prod_date":"2025-02-10","version":"1"},"project_desc":{"authoring_entity":[{"name":"Marya Hillesland","email":"marya.hillesland@qeh.ox.ac.uk","affiliation":"University of Oxford"},{"name":"Cheryl R. Doss","affiliation":"Tufts University","email":"cheryl.doss@tufts.edu"},{"name":"Serena Masino","affiliation":"University of Westminster","email":"s.masino@westminster.ac.uk"},{"name":"Martina Querejeta","affiliation":"National University of La Plata","email":"martinaquerejeta@gmail.com"},{"name":"Aletheia Donald","affiliation":"World Bank","email":" adonald@worldbank.org"},{"name":"Greg Seymour","affiliation":"U.S. Census Bureau","email":"gseymour@gmail.com"},{"name":"Clare Clingain","affiliation":"International Rescue Committee","email":"clare.clingain@rescue.org"}],"output":[{"type":"World Bank Policy Research Working Papers","description":"Policy Research Working Paper (PRWP) WPS11065","title":"Deciding not to decide: when is there power in not deciding?","uri":"http:\/\/documents.worldbank.org\/curated\/en\/099403102182511059","doi":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1596\/1813-9450-11065"}],"software":[{"name":"Stata","version":"18 MP"}],"scripts":[{"title":"Reproducibility package for Deciding not to decide: when is there power in not deciding? ","date":"2025-01","dependencies":"All dependencies are stored in the ado folder. ","notes":"Computational reproducibility verified by the Development Impact (DIME) Analytics team, World Bank.","file_name":"RR_KEN_2025_261.zip","zip_package":"RR_KEN_2025_261.zip"}],"title_statement":{"idno":"RR_KEN_2025_261","title":"Reproducibility package for Deciding not to decide: when is there power in not deciding? "},"production_date":"2025-02","abstract":"Agency\u2014the ability to define one\u2019s own goals and make choices to achieve them\u2014is often measured through questions that capture an individual\u2019s direct involvement in decision-making. Yet not participating in decision-making may not always imply a lack of power. Drawing on the notion of effective power, we conceptualize two forms of this power: effective power by proxy and effective power by influence or persuasion. We then explore indirect ways of pursuing one\u2019s goals when not directly involved in the decision using unique mixed-methods data from multiple members of rural households in Kilifi County, Kenya. Our results indicate that traditional decision-making measures underestimate the agency of some individuals\u2014particularly that of husbands and fathers, who can disproportionately rely on their preferences being met through their effective power by proxy, without bearing the time and cognitive cost of actively engaging in decision-making. The results also indicate that women\u2019s agency varies by marital status and the household composition. Focusing on decisions between married women and their husbands, overlooks the dynamics of intergenerational households where other members, like mothers-in-law or sons, are involved in the decision-making process. We conclude by providing practical recommendations for measuring agency in surveys. ","geographic_units":[{"name":"Kenya","code":"KEN","type":"Country"}],"keywords":[{"name":"gender"},{"name":"households"},{"name":"power"},{"name":"survey methodology"},{"name":"Kenya"}],"topics":[{"id":"C80","vocabulary":"JEL Classifications","name":" Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs: General ","url":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel","parent_id":"C8","uri":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel"},{"id":"J16","vocabulary":"JEL Classifications","name":" Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination ","url":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel","parent_id":"J1","uri":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel"},{"id":"I32","vocabulary":"JEL Classifications","name":" Measurement and Analysis of Poverty ","url":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel","parent_id":"I3","uri":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel"},{"id":"Q25","vocabulary":"JEL Classifications","name":" Renewable Resources and Conservation: Water ","url":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel","parent_id":"Q2","uri":"https:\/\/www.aeaweb.org\/econlit\/jelCodes.php?view=jel"}],"language":[{"name":"English","code":"EN"}],"data_statement":"All data is temporarily embargoed by the authors (expected to be made public in the future).","repository_uri":[{"name":"Reproducible Research Repository (World Bank)","uri":"https:\/\/reproducibility.worldbank.org"}],"technology_requirements":"~ 5 minutes.","technology_environment":"Paper exhibits were reproduced in a computer with the following specifications:\n\u2022 OS: Windows 10 Enterprise\n\u2022 Processor: Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 6226R CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz (2 processors)\n\u2022 Memory available: 32 GB\n\u2022 Software version: Stata version 18 MP","disclaimer":"The materials in the reproducibility packages are distributed as they were prepared by the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development\/the World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this event do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, the Executive Directors of the World Bank, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the materials included in the reproducibility package.","license":[{"name":"Modified BSD3","uri":"https:\/\/opensource.org\/license\/bsd-3-clause\/"}],"datasets":[{"name":"Water Portfolio Household Survey Round 2","note":"Source: Hillesland, Marya and Doss, Cheryl (2024). Water Portfolio Household Survey Round 2, Kilifi County, Kenya, 2023. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Service. 10.5255\/UKDA-SN-857244. Household dataset 'household roster.dta' and 'Water sources used and not used.dta' located at Raw data\/Household. Individual dataset 'individual level.dta', 'Module 5 BN decision making part 1.dta', and 'Relationships.dta' located at Raw data\/Individual. Sampling weights located at Raw data\/samplingweights_round2.dta\n","access_type":"The data is embargoed until June 2025.","uri":"https:\/\/reshare.ukdataservice.ac.uk\/857244\/"},{"name":"Measures for Advancing Gender Equality (MAGNET) Initiative","note":"Source: Measures for Advancing Gender Equality (MAGNET) Initiative. Located at: Raw data\/Individual with filenames\t'BA involved consequences.dta', 'BA notinvolved consequences.dta', 'Noninvolvement and Backlash.dta', 'persuasion.dta',  and 'Module 05A DM decision making part 2.dta'. These modules are part of MAGNET (https:\/\/magnet.ifpri.info\/) and have restricted access until December 2026.  The data will likely be available through the IFPRI Harvard Dataverse (https:\/\/www.ifpri.org\/publications\/datasets\/)\n","access_type":"The data is embargoed until December 2026."}],"reproduction_instructions":"1. **Secure Access to Data:** The data required for replication is not yet publicly available. It is expected to be made public in the upcoming months. See subsection Datasets for details.\n2. **Download and Place Data:** Once the data is obtained, users should download it and place it in the appropriate folder.\n3. **Run the Package:** After placing the data in the folder:\n      - Open the do-file \"main\"\n      - Update the globals in line 20-22 to your folder's location\n      - Run the do-file\n \nSince the data is not currently publicly available, the package includes the results produced by replicators at Analysis\\Output\\tables. These files can be used to review the results presented in the paper.","contacts":[{"email":"marya.hillesland@qeh.ox.ac.uk","name":"Marya Hillesland","affiliation":"University of Oxford"},{"name":"Reproducibility WBG","email":"reproducibility@worldbank.org","affiliation":"World Bank"}]},"tags":[{"tag":"DOI"},{"tag":"Open code"},{"tag":"Restricted Data"}],"schematype":"script"}