Incentives, Gaming, and the Nonlinear Pay Scheme: Evidence from Personnel Data in a Large Japanese Auto Sales Firm

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Incentives, Gaming, and the Nonlinear Pay Scheme: Evidence from Personnel Data in a Large Japanese Auto Sales Firm

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Tsuyoshi Tsuru

Abstract

This paper examines incentives and gaming behavior in a sales workforce using personnel records from one of Japanfs largest auto sales chains. The company replaced a simple, linear compensation system in 2000 with nonlinear pay scheme kinked around a draw line. Econometric analysis indicates the following. First, the new pay scheme yields productivity increases, although a month-end deadline induces gaming behavior. Second, the incentive effect is weaker for used car sales staff than for new car sales staff. The difference can be attributed to disincentives such as smaller gross profits and larger servicing burdens that discouraged workers near the threshold from putting forth additional effort.

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Paper provided by Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University in its series Discussion Paper Series with number a510.

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Date of creation: Oct 2008
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Handle: RePEc:hit:hituec:a510

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executive Compensation
M5 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting - - Personnel Economics
J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

NEP-ALL-2009-02-14 (All new papers)
NEP-BEC-2009-02-14 (Business Economics)
NEP-LAB-2009-02-14 (Labour Economics)

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:

Paarsch, H-J & Shearer, B, 1996. "Piece Rates, Fixed Wages, and Incentive Effects : Statistical Evidence From Payroll Records," Papers 9623, Laval - Recherche en Energie.
Other versions:
- Paarsch, Harry J. & Shearer, Bruce, 1996. "Piece Rates, Fixed Wages, and Incentive Effects: Statistical Evidence from Payroll Records," Cahiers de recherche 9623, Université Laval - Département d'économique. [Downloadable!]
- Harry J. Paarsch & Bruce S. Shearer, 1996. "Piece Rates, Fixed Wages, and Incentive Effects: Statistical Evidence from Payroll Records," CIRANO Working Papers 96s-31, CIRANO. [Downloadable!]
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Oriana Bandiera & Iwan Barankay & Imran Rasul, 2005. "Social Preferences and the Response to Incentives: Evidence from Personnel Data," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 120(3), pages 917-962, August.
Other versions:
- Orana Bandiera & Iwan Barankay & Imran Rasul, 2005. "Social Preferences and the Response to Incentives: Evidence from Personnel Data," Natural Field Experiments 0014, The Field Experiments Website. [Downloadable!]
Canice Prendergast, 1999. "The Provision of Incentives in Firms," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(1), pages 7-63, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Oriana Bandiera & Iwan Barankay & Imran Rasul, 2006. "Incentives for Managers and Inequality Among Workers: Evidence from a Firm Level Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 2062, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Orana Bandiera & Iwan Barankay & Imran Rasul, 2006. "Incentives for Managers and Inequality Among Workers: Evidence from a Firm Level Experiment," Natural Field Experiments 0015, The Field Experiments Website. [Downloadable!]
- Bandiera, Oriana & Barankay, Iwan & Rasul, Imran, 2006. "Incentives for Managers and Inequality Among Workers: Evidence from a Firm Level Experiment," CEPR Discussion Papers 5649, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
- Oriana Bandiera & Iwan Barankay & Imran Rasul, 2007. "Incentives for Managers and Inequality Among Workers: Evidence From a Firm-Level Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 122(2), pages 729-773, 05. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Paul Oyer, 1998. "Fiscal Year Ends And Nonlinear Incentive Contracts: The Effect On Business Seasonality," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 113(1), pages 149-185, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)

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