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The Sociology of Groups and the Economics of Incentives: Theory and Evidence on Compensation Systems

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Author Info
William E. Encinosa III (Agency for Health Care Research and Quality)
Martin Gaynor () (Carnegie Mellon University, NBER and Leverhulme Centre for Market and Public Organisation)
James B. Rebitzer () (Case Western Reserve University, NBER, Levy Institute and IZA Bonn)

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

When working together, people engage in non-contractual and informal interactions that constitute the sociology of the group. We use behavioral models and a unique survey of medical groups to analyze how group sociology influences physician incentive pay and behavior. We conclude that informal interactions among group members influence pay practices and behaviors, but the relationship is complex. No single aspect of group sociology is entirely consistent with all the patterns in the data. Factors emphasized in the economic theory of agency, notably risk aversion, also shape pay policies but these factors cannot account for all the observed empirical relationships.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 1851.

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Length: 47 pages
Date of creation: Nov 2005
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1851

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Related research
Keywords: incentives; social norms; physicians;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior
J40 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - General
J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts

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References listed on IDEAS
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, 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.)

  1. Michelle Brown & John Heywood, 2009. "Helpless in Finance: The Cost of Helping Effort Among Bank Employees," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 176-195, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. David J. Cooper & James B. Rebitzer, 2002. "Managed Care, Physician Incentives, and Norms of Medical Practice: Racing to the Bottom or Pulling to the Top?," Economics Working Paper Archive 353, Levy Economics Institute, The. [Downloadable!]
  3. Mary A. Burke & Kislaya Prasad, 2005. "Contracts with social multipliers," Working Papers 05-17, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. [Downloadable!]
  4. James B. Rebitzer, 1999. "Job characteristics, wages, and the employment contract - commentary," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, issue May, pages 29-34. [Downloadable!]
  5. David Nash, 2003. "Determinants of the use of financial incentives in investment banking," ESRC Centre for Business Research - Working Papers wp256, ESRC Centre for Business Research. [Downloadable!]
  6. Michael Kosfeld & Ferdinand von Siemens, 2007. "Competition, Cooperation, and Corporate Culture," IZA Discussion Papers 2927, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. David J. Cooper & James B. Rebitzer, 2002. "Managed Care, Physician Incentives, and Norms of Medical," Microeconomics 0209001, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  8. Simon Burgess & Carol Propper & Marisa Ratto & Stephanie von Hinke Kessler Scholder & Emma Tominey, 2009. "Smarter Task Assignment or Greater Effort: the impact of incentives on team performance," The Centre for Market and Public Organisation 09/215, Department of Economics, University of Bristol, UK. [Downloadable!]
  9. Jonas Agell & Helge Bennmarker, 2003. "Endogenous Wage Rigidity," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
  10. Andrea Ichino & Giovanni Maggi, 1999. "Work Environment and Individual Background: Explaining Regional Shirking Differentials in a Large Italian Firm," NBER Working Papers 7415, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  11. Agell, Jonas & Bennmarker, Helge, 2003. "Endogenous Wage Rigidity," Research Papers in Economics 2003:10, Stockholm University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  12. Randall D. Cebul & James B. Rebitzer & Lowell J. Taylor & Mark Votruba, 2008. "Organizational Fragmentation and Care Quality in the U.S. Health Care System," NBER Working Papers 14212, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  13. Bartling, Björn & Siemens, Ferdinand von, 2007. "Equal Sharing Rules in Partnerships," Discussion Papers in Economics 2027, University of Munich, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  14. Daniel S. Nagin & James B. Rebitzer & Seth Sanders & Lowell J. Taylor, 2002. "Monitoring, Motivation, and Management: The Determinants of Opportunistic Behavior in a Field Experiment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(4), pages 850-873, September. [Downloadable!]
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  15. Jonas Agell, 2003. "Why are Small Firms Different? Managers' Views," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
  16. Burkhard Hehenkamp & Oddvar Kaarbøe, 2004. "When the Talented Should Receive Weaker Incentives: Peer Pressure in Teams," Discussion Papers in Economics 04_02, University of Dortmund, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  17. William E. Encinosa III & Martin Gaynor & James B. Rebitzer, 2005. "The Sociology of Groups and the Economics of Incentives: Theory and Evidence on Compensation Systems," IZA Discussion Papers 1851, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  18. Agell, Jonas, 2003. "Why are Small Firms Different? Managers' Views," Research Papers in Economics 2003:9, Stockholm University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  19. Debashis Pal & Arup Bose & David Sappington, 2008. "Equal Pay for Unequal Work: Limiting Sabotage in Teams," University of Cincinnati, Economics Working Papers Series 2008-07, University of Cincinnati, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  20. Claude Meidinger & Jean-Louis Rullière & Marie-Claire Villeval, 2003. "Does Team-Based Compensation Give Rise to Problems When Agents Vary in Their Ability?," Experimental Economics, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 253-272, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  21. Michael Kuhn, . "Delegating Budgets when Agents Care About Autonomy," Discussion Papers 04/10, Department of Economics, University of York. [Downloadable!]
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  22. Falk, Armin & Ichino, Andrea, 2003. "Clean Evidence on Peer Pressure," IZA Discussion Papers 732, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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