Savings Constraints and Microenterprise Development: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Kenya∗

The automobile company offers both stocks and bonds. With the bonds, the company agrees to pay you back your initial investment in ten years, plus pay you interest twice a year at the rate of 8% a year. If you buy the stock, you take on the risk of potentially los- ing a portion or all of your initial investment if the company does poorly or the stock market drops in value. But you also may see the stock increase in value beyond what you could earn from the bonds. If you buy the stock, you become an “owner” of the company. You...