Rewards and punishments: Informal contracting through social preferences

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_C038669C16D8
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Rewards and punishments: Informal contracting through social preferences
Journal
Theoretical Economics
Author(s)
Chassang S., Zehnder C.
ISSN
1933-6837
Publication state
Published
Issued date
09/2016
Volume
11
Number
3
Pages
1145-1179
Abstract
This paper develops a positive model of informal contracting in which rewards and punishments are not determined by an ex ante optimal plan but instead express the ex post moral sentiments of the arbitrating party. We consider a subjective performance evaluation problem in which a principal can privately assess the contribution of an agent to the welfare of a broader group. In the absence of formal contingent contracts, the principal chooses ex post transfers that maximize her social preferences. We characterize the incentives induced by the principal's preferences, contrast them with ex ante optimal contracts, and derive novel testable predictions about the way externalities are internalized in informal settings.
Keywords
Informal contracts, social preferences, fairness, intent-based justice, subjective performance evaluation, no punishment without guilt
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
19/10/2017 14:16
Last modification date
21/08/2019 6:15
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