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An Economist'S View Of Authority

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  • Oliver Hart

Abstract

A recent economic literature analyzes institutions, such as firms, in terms of incomplete contracts and property rights. The paper begins by briefly summarizing this literature. The paper goes on to argue that the incomplete-contracting approach can elucidate the meaning of authority. The paper takes the point of view that someone has authority in an economic relationship because they control some non-human assets in the relationship, rather than because they control people directly. The advantage of such an approach is that it avoids a thorny question that arises when authority is defined with respect to human assets: what ensures that, if A has authority over B, B does what A wants? The paper also argues that authority may have little to do with communication: an employer may have authority over an employee even though the employer may act on information provided by the employee.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliver Hart, 1996. "An Economist'S View Of Authority," Rationality and Society, , vol. 8(4), pages 371-386, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ratsoc:v:8:y:1996:i:4:p:371-386
    DOI: 10.1177/104346396008004002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Coase, R H, 1988. "The Nature of the Firm: Influence," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 33-47, Spring.
    2. R. H. Coase, 2013. "The Problem of Social Cost," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 56(4), pages 837-877.
    3. Alchian, Armen A & Demsetz, Harold, 1972. "Production , Information Costs, and Economic Organization," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 62(5), pages 777-795, December.
    4. Holmstrom, Bengt & Milgrom, Paul, 1994. "The Firm as an Incentive System," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(4), pages 972-991, September.
    5. Klein, Benjamin, 1988. "Vertical Integration as Organizational Ownership: The Fisher Body-General Motors Relationship Revisited," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 199-213, Spring.
    6. Masten, Scott E, 1988. "A Legal Basis for the Firm," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 181-198, Spring.
    7. Grossman, Sanford J & Hart, Oliver D, 1986. "The Costs and Benefits of Ownership: A Theory of Vertical and Lateral Integration," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(4), pages 691-719, August.
    8. Hart, Oliver & Moore, John, 1990. "Property Rights and the Nature of the Firm," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(6), pages 1119-1158, December.
    9. Philippe Aghion & Patrick Bolton, 1992. "An Incomplete Contracts Approach to Financial Contracting," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 59(3), pages 473-494.
    10. Klein, Benjamin & Crawford, Robert G & Alchian, Armen A, 1978. "Vertical Integration, Appropriable Rents, and the Competitive Contracting Process," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 21(2), pages 297-326, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kirsten Foss & Nicolai J. Foss, 2003. "Authority in the Context of Distributed Knowledge," DRUID Working Papers 03-08, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies.
    2. Kirsten Foss & Nicolai Foss, 2001. "Assets, Attributes and Ownership," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 19-37.
    3. Nicolai Foss, 2002. "'Coase vs Hayek': Economic Organization and the Knowledge Economy," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 9-35.

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