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The role of information asymmetry in escalation phenomena: Empirical evidence

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  • Berg, Joyce E.
  • Dickhaut, John W.
  • Kanodia, Chandra

Abstract

Economic rationality dictates that only incremental costs and benefits should affect decisions. Observed behavior often seems to violate this principle, resulting in unwarranted commitment to past choices and their escalation. In this paper, we present experimental results that show that information asymmetry plays a key role in determining when such escalation behavior occurs. This finding opens new avenues for mitigating escalation behavior since information asymmetry is an environmental feature that can be modified by organization design and explicit economic rewards.

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  • Berg, Joyce E. & Dickhaut, John W. & Kanodia, Chandra, 2009. "The role of information asymmetry in escalation phenomena: Empirical evidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 135-147, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:69:y:2009:i:2:p:135-147
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Camerer, Colin F. & Weber, Roberto A., 1999. "The econometrics and behavioral economics of escalation of commitment: a re-examination of Staw and Hoang's NBA data," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 59-82, May.
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    5. Kanodia, C & Bushman, R & Dickhaut, J, 1989. "Escalation Errors And The Sunk Cost Effect - An Explanation Based On Reputation And Information Asymmetries," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 59-77.
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    3. Stanley Baiman & Mirko S. Heinle & Richard Saouma, 2013. "Multistage Capital Budgeting with Delayed Consumption of Slack," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(4), pages 869-881, April.
    4. Martens, Nikolai & Orzen, Henrik, 2021. "Escalating commitment to a failing course of action — A re-examination," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
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    6. Yonatan Shertzer & Yael Brender-Ilan, 2023. "Why Do Leaders Escalate Their Commitment to a Failed Course of Action? A Moderated-Mediation Personality Traits Model," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, February.
    7. Borland, Jeff & Lee, Leng & Macdonald, Robert D., 2011. "Escalation effects and the player draft in the AFL," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 371-380, June.

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