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Harnessing the Power of Social Incentives to Curb Shirking in Teams

Author

Listed:
  • Brice Corgnet

    (Emlyon Business School)

  • Brian Gunia

    (Carey Business School, Johns Hopkins University)

  • Roberto Hernán González

    (Burgundy School of Business, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté)

Abstract

We study several solutions to shirking in teams that trigger social incentives by reshaping the workplace social context. Using an experimental design, we manipulate social pressure at work by varying the type of workplace monitoring and the extent to which employees engage in social interaction. This design allows us to assess the effectiveness as well as the popularity of each solution. Despite similar effectiveness in boosting productivity across solutions, only organizational systems involving social interaction (via chat) were at least as popular as a baseline treatment. This suggests that any solution based on promoting social interaction is more likely to be embraced by workers than monitoring systems alone.

Suggested Citation

  • Brice Corgnet & Brian Gunia & Roberto Hernán González, 2019. "Harnessing the Power of Social Incentives to Curb Shirking in Teams," Working Papers 19-30, Chapman University, Economic Science Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:chu:wpaper:19-30
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social Incentives; Social Pressure; Moral Hazard in Teams; Laboratory Experiments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management

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