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Prosocial motivation and incentives

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  • Besley, Timothy
  • Ghatak, Maitreesh

Abstract

This review explores the role of incentives in providing goods and services that have significant social returns not captured in private returns, and where outcomes and performances are not easy to measure. We discuss how the presence of prosocial motivation among agents involved in the provision of these goods and services changes the design of incentives. The review also emphasises how heterogeneous prosocial motivation puts a premium on selection of agents in this context. We also discuss alternative theories of prosocial motivation.

Suggested Citation

  • Besley, Timothy & Ghatak, Maitreesh, 2018. "Prosocial motivation and incentives," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 90093, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:90093
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/90093/
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    prosocial behavior; motivated agents; public services;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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