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How Voice Shapes Reactions to Impartial Decision- Makers: An Experiment on Participation Procedures

Author

Listed:
  • Marco Kleine

    (Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Bonn)

  • Pascal Langenbach

    (Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Bonn)

  • Lilia Zhurakhovska

    (Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Bonn)

Abstract

This paper studies how participation in decision procedures affects people’s reactions to the deciding authority. In our economic experiment, having voice, i.e., the opportunity to state one’s opinion prior to a decision, significantly increases subordinates’ subsequent kindness towards the authority. These positive effects occur irrespectively of the decisions’ content. The experimental findings stress the positive effects of voice when subordinates and authorities interact. Our results suggest that in organizations, but also in the legal and political arena, participative decision-making can be used to guide people’s actions after decisions have been taken.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Kleine & Pascal Langenbach & Lilia Zhurakhovska, 2013. "How Voice Shapes Reactions to Impartial Decision- Makers: An Experiment on Participation Procedures," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2013_11, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, revised Feb 2017.
    • Handle: RePEc:mpg:wpaper:2013_11
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Köhler, Katrin & Pagel, Beatrice & Rau, Holger A., 2015. "How worker participation affects reciprocity under minimum remuneration policies: Experimental evidence," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 267, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    3. Tan, Charmaine H.Y., 2021. "The effects of group decision-making on social preferences: An experimental study," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 134-153.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    voice; participative decision-making; communication; laboratory experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • K40 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - General

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