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Games with Money and Status: How Bes to Incentivize Work

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  • Pradeep Dubey
  • John Geanakoplos

Abstract

Status is greatly valued in the real world, yet it has not received much attention from economic theorists. We examine how the owner of a firm can best combine money and status together to get his employees to work hard for the least total cost. We find that he should motivate workers of low skill mostly by status and high skill mostly by money. Moreover, he should do so by using a small number of titles and wage levels. This often results in star wages to the elite performers.

Suggested Citation

  • Pradeep Dubey & John Geanakoplos, 2014. "Games with Money and Status: How Bes to Incentivize Work," Department of Economics Working Papers 14-02, Stony Brook University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:nys:sunysb:14-02
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    1. Oindrila Dey & Swapnendu Banerjee, 2022. "Incentives, Status and Thereafter: A Critical Survey," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 11(1), pages 95-115, June.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C70 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - General
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General

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