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Leading by example versus leading by words in voluntary contribution experiments

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  • Astrid Dannenberg

Abstract

This paper compares different forms of leadership in their ability to improve cooperation in a public goods experiment. Leaders either contribute before the others (leading by example) or make a non-binding pledge before all players contribute simultaneously (leading by words). The exogenously imposed leadership is then compared to an endogenous setting where players can choose if and how they want to lead. The results show that in both settings leading by example has significant positive effects on cooperation while leading by words only has small effects as compared to situations without leadership. However, only few subjects choose to lead by example when they have the choice. The majority choose to lead by words or do not want to lead at all. The results also show that leading by example is associated with an institutional effect (players increase their contributions when they have to lead by example) and a selection effect (players who choose to lead by example are particularly cooperative). Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Astrid Dannenberg, 2015. "Leading by example versus leading by words in voluntary contribution experiments," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 44(1), pages 71-85, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sochwe:v:44:y:2015:i:1:p:71-85
    DOI: 10.1007/s00355-014-0817-8
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    2. Casoria, Fortuna & Riedl, Arno & Werner, Peter, 2020. "Behavioral Aspects of Communication in Organizations," IZA Discussion Papers 13005, IZA Network @ LISER.
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    5. Sohn, Jin-yeong & Jang, Dooseok, 2024. "On the effectiveness of leading by example in public goods games," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 266-281.
    6. Feltovich, Nick & Grossman, Philip J., 2015. "How does the effect of pre-play suggestions vary with group size? Experimental evidence from a threshold public-good game," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 263-280.
    7. Jing Yu & Martin G. Kocher, 2023. "Leading by example in a public goods experiment with benefit heterogeneity," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 61(3), pages 685-712, October.
    8. Eichenseer, Michael & Moser, Johannes, 2018. "Leadership in a Dynamic Public Goods Game: An Experimental Study," VfS Annual Conference 2018 (Freiburg, Breisgau): Digital Economy 181599, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    9. Koessler, Ann-Kathrin, 2022. "Pledges and how social influence shapes their effectiveness," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    10. Gerald Eisenkopf & Torben Kölpin, 2024. "Leading-by-example: a meta-analysis," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 94(4), pages 543-577, May.
    11. Roy, Moumita & Houser, Daniel, 2024. "Corrigendum to “Identity, Leadership, and Cooperation: An experimental analysis” [European Economic Review 165 (2024) 104741]," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    12. Schüssler, Katharina & Schüssler, Michael & Mühlbauer, Daniel, 2018. "Individual Differences and Contribution Sequences in Threshold Public Goods," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 88, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    13. Rilke, Rainer Michael & Danilov, Anastasia & Weisel, Ori & Shalvi, Shaul & Irlenbusch, Bernd, 2021. "When leading by example leads to less corrupt collaboration," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 288-306.
    14. Gleue, Marvin & Luigs, Theresa & Ziegler, Andreas, 2025. "The relevance of non-state climate protection activities as motivation for individual climate protection: Results from a framed field experiment," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    15. Gerald Eisenkopf & Torben Kölpin, 2023. "Leadership and cooperation in growing teams," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 273-299, April.
    16. Koessler, Ann-Kathrin & Page, Lionel & Dulleck, Uwe, 2015. "Promoting pro-social behavior with public statements of good intent," MPRA Paper 80072, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 24 May 2017.
    17. Riyanto, Yohanes E. & Roy, Nilanjan, 2019. "Path of intertemporal cooperation and limits to turn-taking behavior," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 21-36.
    18. Billinger, Stephan & Rosenbaum, Stephen Mark, 2023. "On the limits of hierarchy in public goods games: A survey and meta-analysis on the effects of design variables on cooperation," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    19. Bruttel, Lisa & Eisenkopf, Gerald & Nithammer, Juri, 2025. "Pre-election communication in public good games with endogenous leaders," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    20. Gerald Eisenkopf & Torben Kölpin, 2021. "Leading-by-Example: A meta-analysis," TWI Research Paper Series 125, Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz.
    21. Florian Baumann & Sophie Bienenstock & Tim Friehe & Maiva Ropaul, 2023. "Fines as enforcers’ rewards or as a transfer to society at large? Evidence on deterrence and enforcement implications," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 196(3), pages 229-255, September.
    22. Ann-Kathrin Koessler & Lionel Page & Uwe Dulleck, 2021. "Public cooperation statements," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 16(4), pages 747-767, October.
    23. Koessler, Ann-Kathrin & Page, Lionel & Dulleck, Uwe, 2018. "Public Statements of Good Conduct Promote Pro-Social Behavior," EconStor Preprints 180669, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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