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Keep Calm and Carry on: Gender Differences in Endurance

Author

Listed:
  • Sophie Clot

    (Department of Economics, University of Reading)

  • Marina Della Giusta

    (Department of Economics, University of Reading)

  • Amalia Di Girolamo

    (Department of Economics, University of Birmingham)

Abstract

We investigate endurance, the capacity to maintain levels of performance through internal rather than external motivation in non-rewarding tasks and over sequences of tasks, through a lab experiment. The significant driver of performance is payment scheme order for women and payment schemes for men. Both women and men respond to social cues, through increased intrinsic motivation (ambition) for women and through extrinsic motivation (competition) for men. We suggest implications for reward schemes in the workplace and for selection into executive positions.

Suggested Citation

  • Sophie Clot & Marina Della Giusta & Amalia Di Girolamo, 2018. "Keep Calm and Carry on: Gender Differences in Endurance," Economics Discussion Papers em-dp2018-03, Department of Economics, University of Reading.
    • Handle: RePEc:rdg:emxxdp:em-dp2018-03
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    File URL: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/economics/emdp2018135.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender; intrinsic motivation; endurance; monetary incentives; biased beliefs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • M51 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions

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