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Sorting with Teams

Author

Listed:
  • Job Boerma
  • Aleh Tsyvinski
  • Alexander P. Zimin

Abstract

We fully solve a sorting problem with heterogeneous firms and multiple heterogeneous workers whose skills are imperfect substitutes. We show that optimal sorting, which we call mixed and countermonotonic, is comprised of two regions. In the first region, mediocre firms sort with mediocre workers and coworkers such that the output losses are equal across all these teams (mixing). In the second region, a high skill worker sorts with low skill coworkers and a high productivity firm (countermonotonicity). We characterize the equilibrium wages and firm values. Quantitatively, our model can generate the dispersion of earnings within and across US firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Job Boerma & Aleh Tsyvinski & Alexander P. Zimin, 2021. "Sorting with Teams," Papers 2109.02730, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2023.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2109.02730
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Takaaki Koike & Liyuan Lin & Ruodu Wang, 2022. "Joint mixability and notions of negative dependence," Papers 2204.11438, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2024.
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    3. Ruodu Wang & Zhenyuan Zhang, 2022. "Simultaneous Optimal Transport," Papers 2201.03483, arXiv.org, revised May 2023.
    4. Freund, L. B., 2022. "Superstar Teams: The Micro Origins and Macro Implications of Coworker Complementarities," Janeway Institute Working Papers 2235, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.

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