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Professional motivation and the quantity–quality trade-off

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  • Brock, J. Michelle

Abstract

How can professionals be motivated to do better quality work? This paper examines this question through a unique lab-in-the-field experiment on more than 100 judges in a lower middle income country, Tajikistan. I test how judges respond both to monetary bonuses and to anonymous monitoring by peers of the quality of their work. I find that the provision of bonuses leads to much lower quality than in a control group where bonuses are not given. However, offering a bonus while also making work visible to peers motivates the judges to increase both quantity and quality. Random peer monitoring of work is likely triggering concerns about self-image which mitigate the negative effect of bonuses on quality. The results have important implications in labor market settings where strict monitoring of quality is not possible.

Suggested Citation

  • Brock, J. Michelle, 2025. "Professional motivation and the quantity–quality trade-off," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 754-771.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:53:y:2025:i:3:p:754-771
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2025.04.007
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    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods

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