Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Discussion Papers on Economics,
University of Southern Denmark, Department of Economics

No 12/2019: Identify More, Observe Less: Mediation Analysis: Mediation Analysis Synthetic Control

Giovanni Mellace () and Alessandra Pasquini ()
Additional contact information
Giovanni Mellace: Department of Business and Economics, Postal: University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
Alessandra Pasquini: Tor Vergata University, Postal: Italy

Abstract: The synthetic control method (SCM) allows estimation of the causal effect of an intervention in settings where panel data on just a few treated units and control units are available. We show that the existing SCM as well as its extensions can be easily modified to estimate how much of the “total” effect goes through observed causal channels. The additional assumptions needed are arguably very mild in many settings. Furthermore, in an illustrative empirical application we estimate the effects of adopting the euro on labor productivity in several countries and show that a reduction in the Economic Complexity Index helped to mitigate the negative short run effects of adopting the new currency in some countries and boosted the positive effects in others.

Keywords: MASC; Synthetic Control Method; Mediation Analysis; Causal Channels; Causal Mechanisms; Direct and Indirect Effects

JEL-codes: C21; C23; C31; C33

50 pages, October 22, 2019

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