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Optimal Task Assignments

Author

Listed:
  • Felipe Balmaceda

    (Facultad de Economía y Empresa, Universidad Diego Portales)

Abstract

This paper studies optimal task assignments in a risk neutral principal-agent model in which agents are compensated according to an aggregated performance measure. The main trade-off involved is one in which specialization allows the implementation of any possible effort profile, while multitasking constraint the set of implementable effort profiles. Yet, the implementation of any effort profile in this set is less expensive than that under specialization. The principal prefers multitasking to specialization except when tasks are complements and the output after success is small enough so that it is not second-best optimal to implement high effort in each task. This result is robust to several extensions such as the existence of multiple performance measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Felipe Balmaceda, 2014. "Optimal Task Assignments," Working Papers 54, Facultad de Economía y Empresa, Universidad Diego Portales.
    • Handle: RePEc:ptl:wpaper:54
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    Cited by:

    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Balmaceda, Felipe, 2018. "Optimal task assignments with loss-averse agents," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 1-26.
    3. Lu, Zhuoran & Song, Yangbo, 2025. "Network-based peer monitoring design," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    4. Xu, Minbo & Yin, Nina & Li, Sanxi, 2019. "Multitask assignments with adverse selection," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 127-132.
    5. 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.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory

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