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Identity, Diversity, and Team Performance: Evidence from U.S. Mutual Funds

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  • Prado, Melissa
  • Evans, Richard B.
  • Zambrana, Rafael

Abstract

We examine team diversity and performance in the asset management industry through the lens of identity. Focusing on political ideology as the relevant dimension of identity, we find that diverse teams outperform homogeneous teams. The mechanism involves both improved decision-making due to more diverse perspectives and increased monitoring by heterogeneous team members. The benefits of ideological diversity are undone when political polarization is higher, consistent with increased intra-team conflict. In examining why less diverse teams are prevalent in asset management, we find entrenched managers prefer homogeneous teams, and the local labor market supply of ideologically diverse managers is constrained.

Suggested Citation

  • Prado, Melissa & Evans, Richard B. & Zambrana, Rafael, 2020. "Identity, Diversity, and Team Performance: Evidence from U.S. Mutual Funds," CEPR Discussion Papers 14305, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:14305
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Â mutual fund; Teams; Dispersion in beliefs; Diversity; Labor incentives; Political ideology; Campaign contributions; Polarization; Pacs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • J44 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Professional Labor Markets and Occupations
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L84 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Personal, Professional, and Business Services
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects

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