Abstract: Nudges and changes to choice architecture can affect individual behaviors. However, there is no evidence that these interventions are equally effective at changing the behaviors of organizations, in which decisions are typically high stakes, repeated, and made by a group. In four field experiments in which the subjects are organizations, we test the efficacy of five nudges and changes in choice architecture that have been shown to affect individual-level decisions in public goods and charitable giving contexts. We find significant treatment effect heterogeneity in the four experiments; organizations who historically contribute increase their contributions while non-complying organizations maintain or decrease contributions.

Nudges and changes to choice architecture can affect individual behaviors. However, there is no evidence that these interventions are equally effective at changing the behaviors of organizations, in which decisions are typically high stakes, repeated, and made by a group. In four field experiments in which the subjects are organizations, we test the efficacy of five nudges and changes in choice architecture that have been shown to affect individual-level decisions in public goods and charitable giving contexts. We find significant treatment effect heterogeneity in the four experiments; organizations who historically contribute increase their contributions while non-complying organizations maintain or decrease contributions.