Peer Effects in the Workplace: Evidence from Random Groupings in Professional Golf Tournaments

Jonathan Guryan, Kory Kroft and Matthew Notowidigdo

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2009, vol. 1, issue 4, 34-68

Abstract: This paper uses random assignment in professional golf tournaments to test for peer effects in the workplace. We find no evidence that playing partners' ability affects performance, contrary to recent evidence on peer effects in the workplace from laboratory experiments, grocery scanners, and soft fruit pickers. In our preferred specification, we can rule out peer effects larger than 0.043 strokes for a one stroke increase in playing partners' ability. Our results complement existing studies on workplace peer effects and are useful in explaining how social effects vary across labor markets, across individuals, and with the form of incentives faced. (JEL D83, J44, L83)

JEL-codes: D83 J44 L83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.1.4.34
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (346)

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Working Paper: Peer Effects in the Workplace: Evidence from Random Groupings in Professional Golf Tournaments (2007)
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