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Multitask principal-agent problems: Optimal contracts, fragility, and effort misallocation

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  • Bond, Philip
  • Gomes, Armando

Abstract

We analyze a tractable class of multitask principal-agent problems, such as the one faced by a firm with a manager overseeing several projects. We allow for tasks to be complements or substitutes. We avoid the problems associated with the first-order approach by directly characterizing the shape of the agent's indirect utility function, which exhibits a convex then concave shape in effort. We identify a new source of allocational inefficiency across tasks: excessive concentration, and its consequence, insufficient risk taking. Optimal incentive schemes in our environment are generally "fragile": small changes in fundamentals can cause the agent's effort to collapse.

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  • Bond, Philip & Gomes, Armando, 2009. "Multitask principal-agent problems: Optimal contracts, fragility, and effort misallocation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 144(1), pages 175-211, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jetheo:v:144:y:2009:i:1:p:175-211
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    3. Florian Ederer & Richard Holden & Margaret Meyer, 2018. "Gaming and strategic opacity in incentive provision," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 49(4), pages 819-854, December.
    4. Florian Hoffmann & Roman Inderst & Marcus Opp, 2022. "The Economics of Deferral and Clawback Requirements," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 77(4), pages 2423-2470, August.
    5. Cordella, Antonio & Cordella, Tito, 2017. "Motivations, monitoring technologies, and pay for performance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 236-255.
    6. Szydlowski, Martin, 2019. "Incentives, project choice, and dynamic multitasking," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 14(3), July.
    7. Chen, Bo, 2012. "All-or-nothing payments," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 133-142.
    8. Orlov, Dmitry, 2022. "Frequent monitoring in dynamic contracts," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    9. D'Acunto, Francesco & Xie, Jin & Yao, Jiaquan, 2022. "Trust and contracts: Empirical evidence," LawFin Working Paper Series 32, Goethe University, Center for Advanced Studies on the Foundations of Law and Finance (LawFin).
    10. Margaret Meyer & Bruno Strulovici, 2013. "The Supermodular Stochastic Ordering," Discussion Papers 1563, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science.
    11. Margaret Meyer & Bruno Strulovici, 2013. "Beyond Correlation: Measuring Interdependence Through Complementarities," Economics Series Working Papers 655, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    12. Zhaolin Li & Steven Q. Lu & Jennifer K. Ryan & Daewon Sun, 2021. "Impact of Organizational Structure on Development Strategy under Equity‐Based Incentives," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(4), pages 984-996, April.
    13. Dominique Demougin & Carsten Helm, 2022. "Overwhelmed by Routine Tasks: A Multi-Tasking Principle Agent Perspective," CESifo Working Paper Series 9753, CESifo.
    14. Li, Jin & Powell, Michael, 2020. "Multilateral interactions improve cooperation under random fluctuations," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 358-382.
    15. Hayat Khan, 2019. "A Nontechnical Guide on Optimal Incentives for Islamic Insurance Operators," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-14, July.
    16. Zahra Murad & Charitini Stavropoulou & Graham Cookson, 2019. "Incentives and gender in a multi-task setting: An experimental study with real-effort tasks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, March.
    17. Cristina Nistor & Matthew Selove, 2020. "Pricing and Quality Provision in a Supply Relationship: A Model of Efficient Relational Contracts," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(5), pages 939-955, September.
    18. Hartman-Glaser, Barney & Piskorski, Tomasz & Tchistyi, Alexei, 2012. "Optimal securitization with moral hazard," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(1), pages 186-202.
    19. Demougin, Dominique & Helm, Carsten, 2023. "Overwhelmed by routine tasks: A multitasking principal agent perspective," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 654-669.
    20. Felipe Balmaceda, 2011. "Job Design and Incentives," Documentos de Trabajo 279, Centro de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Chile.

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