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Gender at work: Incentives and self-sorting

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  • Migheli, Matteo

Abstract

This paper analyses the relationship between workers’ gender and monetary incentives in an experimental setting based on a double-tournament scheme. The participants must choose between a piece-rate payment or a performance prize. The results show that women fail to reveal their type, and are less sensitive than men to the monetary incentives of the tournament. In addition, the tournament scheme induces males, but not females, to signal their ability and to select the contract which is more profitable for them.

Suggested Citation

  • Migheli, Matteo, 2015. "Gender at work: Incentives and self-sorting," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 10-18.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:55:y:2015:i:c:p:10-18
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2014.12.005
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    Cited by:

    1. Galliera, Arianna, 2018. "Self-selecting random or cumulative pay? A bargaining experiment," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 106-120.
    2. Gesiarz, Filip & De Neve, Jan-Emmanuel C J M & Sharot, Tali, 2019. "The motivational cost of inequality: pay gaps reduce the willingness to pursue rewards," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103451, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Jeworrek, Sabrina, 2019. "Gender stereotypes still in MIND: Information on relative performance and competition entry," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    4. Filip Gesiarz & Jan-Emmanuel De Neve & Tali Sharot, 2020. "The motivational cost of inequality: Opportunity gaps reduce the willingness to work," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, September.
    5. Lotito, Gianna & Migheli, Matteo & Ortona, Guido, 2017. "Competition, Information and Cooperation," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201731, University of Turin.
    6. Gianna Lotito & Matteo Migheli & Guido Ortona, 2020. "Transparency, asymmetric information and cooperation," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 267-294, October.
    7. Izabela Jonek-Kowalska & Marzena Podgorska & Anna Musiol-Urbanczyk & Maciej Wolny, 2020. "Sustainable Development and Motivation Opportunities from the Perspective of Women in the Polish Science Sector in the Light of Statistical Data and Surveys," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2), pages 456-473.
    8. Smithers, Samuel, 2015. "Goals, motivation and gender," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 75-77.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; Discrimination; Incentives; Work; Experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts

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