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Psychological pressure and the right to determine the moves in dynamic tournaments – Evidence from a natural field experiment

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Listed:
  • Mark Kassis
  • Sascha L. Schmidt
  • Dominik Schreyer
  • Matthias Sutter

    () (Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Bonn)

Abstract

In this paper, we show that the right to determine the sequence of moves in a dynamic team tournament improves the chances of winning the contest. Because studying dynamic team tournaments – like R&D races – with interim feedback is difficult with company data, we examine decisions of highly paid professionals in soccer penalty shootouts and show that teams whose captains can decide about the shooting sequence are more likely to win the shootout. So, managerial decisions matter for outcomes of dynamic tournaments and we discuss potential reasons for this finding.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Kassis & Sascha L. Schmidt & Dominik Schreyer & Matthias Sutter, 2020. "Psychological pressure and the right to determine the moves in dynamic tournaments – Evidence from a natural field experiment," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2020_21, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.
    • Handle: RePEc:mpg:wpaper:2020_21
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    9. Martin G. Kocher & Marc V. Lenz & Matthias Sutter, 2012. "Psychological Pressure in Competitive Environments: New Evidence from Randomized Natural Experiments," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(8), pages 1585-1591, August.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dynamic tournament; sports professionals; psychological pressure; value of decision rights; penalty shoot-outs; behavioral economics;

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D00 - Microeconomics - - General - - - General
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • Z20 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - General

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