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Building an Equilibrium: Rules Versus Principles in Relational Contracts

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  • Robert S. Gibbons
  • Manuel Grieder
  • Holger Herz
  • Christian Zehnder

Abstract

Effective organizations are able to adapt members’ strategies to unforeseen change in an efficient manner. We study when relational contracts enable organizations to achieve this. Specifically, in a novel experiment we explored the hypothesis that basing a relational contract on general principles rather than on specific rules is more successful in achieving efficient adaptation. In our Baseline condition, we indeed observe that, compared to pairs who relied on specific rules, those who articulated general principles achieved significantly higher performance after change occurred. Underlying this correlation, we also find that pairs with principle-based agreements were more likely both to expect and to take actions that were consistent with what their relational contract prescribed. To investigate whether there is a causal link between principle-based agreements and performance, we implemented a “Nudge” intervention intended to foster principle-based relational contracts. The Nudge succeeded in causing more pairs to articulate principles, but the intervention failed to increase performance after the shock because many of the pairs induced to articulate principles then did not take actions that were consistent with their relational contracts. In short, our results suggest that (1) principle-based relational contracts may improve organizational performance, but also that (2) high-performing relational contracts may be difficult to build.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert S. Gibbons & Manuel Grieder & Holger Herz & Christian Zehnder, 2019. "Building an Equilibrium: Rules Versus Principles in Relational Contracts," CESifo Working Paper Series 7871, CESifo.
  • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_7871
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    Cited by:

    1. Björn Bartling & Ernst Fehr & David B. Huffmann & Nick Netzer & David B. Huffman, 2021. "The Complementary Nature of Trust and Contract Enforcement," CESifo Working Paper Series 8826, CESifo.
    2. Björn Bartling & Ernst Fehr & David Huffman & Nick Netzer, 2021. "The complementarity between trust and contract enforcement," ECON - Working Papers 377, Department of Economics - University of Zurich, revised May 2022.
    3. Aisha J Ali & Javier Fuenzalida & Margarita Gómez & Martin J Williams, 2021. "Four lenses on people management in the public sector: an evidence review and synthesis," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 37(2), pages 335-366.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    organization economics; adaptation; relational contracts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation

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