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The Competitive Struggle to Win Tournaments: The Allies’ Race to Capture Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest

Author

Listed:
  • Mixon Jr., Franklin G.

    (Columbus State University)

  • Gómez-Mejia, Luis R.

    (Arizona State University)

Abstract

Tournament theory posits that there are situations where winning matters a lot and, as a result, agent rewards are not proportional to performance. According to tournament theorists, the large pay differentials that exist between organizational levels are intended to motivate agents to exert greater effort in an attempt to win the prize. Although a large corpus of literature on tournaments has emerged over time, little is known about the social dynamics involved in tournaments. This article addresses this gap through a historical narrative concerning how Allied forces in World War II competed to capture Adolf Hitler’s famed Bavarian reception house, known to the world as the Eagle’s Nest.

Suggested Citation

  • Mixon Jr., Franklin G. & Gómez-Mejia, Luis R., 2020. "The Competitive Struggle to Win Tournaments: The Allies’ Race to Capture Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest," American Business Review, Pompea College of Business, University of New Haven, vol. 23(1), pages 3-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:ambsrv:0001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tournament theory; Organizational behavior; Competition; Cooperation; Sabotage;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • D41 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Perfect Competition

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