The effect of noise in a performance measure on work motivation: A real effort laboratory experiment

Authors
Publication date 2008
Series Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper, TI 2008-074/1
Number of pages 24
Publisher Amsterdam / Rotterdam: Tinbergen Institute
Organisations
  • Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) - Amsterdam School of Economics Research Institute (ASE-RI)
  • Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) - Amsterdam Business School Research Institute (ABS-RI)
Abstract This paper reports the results of an individual real effort laboratory experiment where subjects are paid for measured performance. Measured performance equals actual performance plus noise. We compare a stable environment where the noise is small with a volatile environment where the noise is large. Subjects exert significantly more effort in the volatile environment than in the stable environment. This finding is in line with standard agency theory and contrasts a distinct element of expectancy theory; noisier performance measures do not lower work motivation.
Document type Working paper
Published at http://www.tinbergen.nl/discussionpapers/08074.pdf
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