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Relational Knowledge Transfers

Author

Listed:
  • Luis Garicano
  • Luis Rayo

Abstract

We study how relational contracts mitigate Becker's classic problem of providing general human capital when training contracts are incomplete. The firm's profit-maximizing agreement is a multiperiod apprenticeship in which the novice is trained gradually over time and eventually receives all knowledge. The firm adopts a 1/e rule, whereby at the beginning of the relationship the novice is trained, for free, just enough to produce a fraction 1/e of the efficient output. After that, the novice earns all additional knowledge with labor. This rule causes inefficiently lengthy relationships that grow longer the more patient the players. A minimum wage is welfare enhancing.

Suggested Citation

  • Luis Garicano & Luis Rayo, 2017. "Relational Knowledge Transfers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(9), pages 2695-2730, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:107:y:2017:i:9:p:2695-2730
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.20160194
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    Cited by:

    1. Fudenberg, Drew & Georgiadis, George & Rayo, Luis, 2021. "Working to learn," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    2. Lisa Coleman, 2022. "Global Inclusion, Diversity, Belonging, Equity, and Access - GIDBEA. The Architecture of A New Different," Academicus International Scientific Journal, Entrepreneurship Training Center Albania, issue 25, pages 91-103, January.
    3. Zhao, Wei & Mezzetti, Claudio & Renou, Ludovic & Tomala, Tristan, 2024. "Contracting over persistent information," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 19(2), May.
    4. Jason J Sandvik & Richard E Saouma & Nathan T Seegert & Christopher T Stanton, 2020. "Workplace Knowledge Flows," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 135(3), pages 1635-1680.
    5. Wadud, Zia & Mattioli, Giulio, 2021. "Fully automated vehicles: A cost-based analysis of the share of ownership and mobility services, and its socio-economic determinants," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 228-244.
    6. Jérémy Hervelin, 2025. "Firm retention and productivity of apprentices," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 68(3), pages 1265-1280, March.
    7. Baccara, Mariagiovanna & Lee, SangMok & Yariv, Leeat, 2023. "Task allocation and on-the-job training," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    8. Antoni-Komar, Irene & Rommel, Marius & Posse, Dirk & Wittkamp, Moritz & Paech, Niko, "undated". "Stable Schools in der Solidarischen Landwirtschaft. Ein transdisziplinäres Setting zur Förderung organisationaler Stabilität," 61st Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany, September 22-24, 2021 317057, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    9. Hagiu, Andrei & Wright, Julian, 2015. "Multi-sided platforms," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 162-174.
    10. Heski Bar‐Isaac & Clare Leaver, 2022. "Training, Recruitment, and Outplacement as Endogenous Adverse Selection," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 89(356), pages 849-861, October.
    11. Kukharskyy, Bohdan, 2020. "A tale of two property rights: Knowledge, physical assets, and multinational firm boundaries," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    12. Francesc Dilmé & Daniel F. Garrett, 2023. "Relational Contracts: Public versus Private Savings," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 91(3), pages 1025-1075, May.
    13. Purnomo, Agung, 2021. "Teori Kewirausahaan Limpahan Pengetahuan: Inovasi dari Mobilisasi Informasi," OSF Preprints k26vh, Center for Open Science.
    14. Santiago Caicedo & Arthur Seibold & Miguel Espinosa, 2019. "The Effects of Mandating Training in Firms: Theory and Evidence from the Colombian Apprenticeship Program," 2019 Meeting Papers 888, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    15. Zdravkovic, Srdan & Magnusson, Peter & Miocevic, Dario & Westjohn, Stanford A., 2021. "Vicarious animosity: Taking sides on provocative issues," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 77-85.
    16. Adam Feher, 2024. "Guarding Expertise and Assets: Non-competition Agreements and Their Implications," IAAEU Discussion Papers 202404, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).
    17. Venturini, Roberto & Ceccagnoli, Marco & van Zeebroeck, Nicolas, 2019. "Knowledge integration in the shadow of tacit spillovers: Empirical evidence from U.S. R&D labs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 180-205.
    18. Mitchell Hoffman & Christopher T. Stanton, 2024. "People, Practices, and Productivity: A Review of New Advances in Personnel Economics," NBER Working Papers 32849, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Cahuc, Pierre & Hervelin, Jérémy, 2024. "The effect of workplace vs school-based vocational education on youth unemployment: Evidence from France," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D86 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Economics of Contract Law
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • M53 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Training

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