Maquiladoras and economic development

An interesting finding mentioned in the book "Poor Economics:" [p. 229]

David Atkin, from Yale University, compared the hight of children born to mothers who lived in a town where a maquiladora opened when the woman was sixteen years old to that of children of mothers who did not have this opportunity. The children whose mother's town has a maquiladora were much taller than those born to similar women in different towns. This difference is so large that it can bridge the entire gap in hight between a poor Mexican child and the "norm" for a well-fed American child. 

The working paper is here -- conclusions are incomplete. Webpage of the author.