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Fairness Concerns and Job Assignment to Positions with Different Surplus

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  • Danková, Katarína
  • Morita, Hodaka
  • Servátka, Maroš
  • Zhang, Le

Abstract

How does job assignment to positions with different surplus affect fairness concerns? We experimentally examine agents’ fairness concerns in a three-person ultimatum game in which all agents are asked to complete a general knowledge quiz before being assigned to a high-stake or low-stake position. We disentangle two possible channels through which job assignment impacts fairness concerns, wage differences and the principal’s intentions, by comparing cases in which the job assignment is determined randomly or by the principal. The knowledge quiz, which mimics performance evaluation, signifies the distinction between the two cases as it provides a basis on which the principal can make the assignment decision. We find that the principal’s intentions significantly impact fairness concerns of the agents assigned to the low-stake position, but wage differences themselves do not. We elaborate on managerial implications of our findings.

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  • Danková, Katarína & Morita, Hodaka & Servátka, Maroš & Zhang, Le, 2021. "Fairness Concerns and Job Assignment to Positions with Different Surplus," MPRA Paper 109962, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:109962
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    Cited by:

    1. Ďuriník, Michal & Morita, Hodaka & Servátka, Maroš & Zhang, Le, 2023. "Promotions and Group Identity," MPRA Paper 119389, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Jennie Huang & Judd B. Kessler & Muriel Niederle, 2024. "Fairness has less impact when agents are less informed," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 27(1), pages 155-174, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    job assignment; fairness concerns; experiment; ultimatum game; wage differences; intentions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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