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Profit sharing and market structure

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  • Poblete, Joaquín

Abstract

We study how agents decide between working for firms with profit sharing and firms in which pay is based on individual productivity. Profit sharing has the disadvantages of free riding and adverse selection. The benefit of profit sharing is that it makes easier for agents to signal their productivity. We show that in equilibrium skilled agents are more likely to belong to profit sharing organizations. The analysis provides a framework for understanding the market structure of industries like law, accounting and consulting services in which both profit-sharing partnerships and “eat-what-you-kill” firms co-exist and compete with each other.

Suggested Citation

  • Poblete, Joaquín, 2015. "Profit sharing and market structure," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 10-18.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:indorg:v:39:y:2015:i:c:p:10-18
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2015.01.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonathan Levin & Steven Tadelis, 2005. "Profit Sharing and the Role of Professional Partnerships," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(1), pages 131-171.
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    8. Bengt Holmstrom, 1982. "Moral Hazard in Teams," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 13(2), pages 324-340, Autumn.
    9. Kandel, Eugene & Lazear, Edward P, 1992. "Peer Pressure and Partnerships," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(4), pages 801-817, August.
    10. Milgrom, Paul R & Weber, Robert J, 1982. "A Theory of Auctions and Competitive Bidding," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(5), pages 1089-1122, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ozdenoren, Emre & Rubanov, Oleg, 2022. "Profit Sharing and Incentives," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    2. Gastón Llanes & Joaquín Poblete, 2020. "Technology Choice and Coalition Formation in Standards Wars," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(2), pages 270-297, June.
    3. He Liu & Yun Bai & Zhiguang Huang & Han Qiao & Shouyang Wang, 2023. "Private banking development in China under two organizational structures: Economic analysis from an organizational innovation perspective," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 9(1), pages 1-23, December.
    4. Fu, Xiao & Tan, Guofu & Wang, Jin, 2023. "Policy orientations and technology choices in standards wars," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    5. Ramírez, Vicente & Galilea, Patricia & Poblete, Joaquín & Silva, Hugo E., 2022. "Team-based incentives in transportation firms: An experiment," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-12.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Partnerships; Companies; Equal sharing; Professional services;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production

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