The Economics of Bullshit Jobs

Laurent Gauthier (laurent.o.gauthier@gmail.com)
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Laurent Gauthier: LED - Laboratoire d'Economie Dionysien - UP8 - Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, CAC-IXXI, Complex Systems Institute

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Abstract: The notion of "bullshit jobs" was first introduced by anthropologist David Graeber in an article (2013) and later expanded into a book (2018): well paid jobs which are perceived as useless by those holding them, and even as contributing a net negative, leading to substantial job dissatisfaction. Various empirical studies have shown that a large share of all jobs may be qualified as bullshit jobs according to Graeber's definition (10-40%). However, no theoretical economic model exists that could account for this phenomenon. In this article, we develop a model of high-and low-skill labor, combined with middle management's specific incentives, and show that a pooling equilibrium can exist where jobs for skilled workers, receiving high wages, effectively are a squandering of resources, and satisfy the stylized facts that characterize bullshit jobs.

Date: 2023-12-31
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