Relative Performance Pay, Bonuses, and Job-Promotion Tournaments

Matthias Kräkel and Anja Schöttner

No 16/2008, Bonn Econ Discussion Papers from University of Bonn, Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE)

Abstract: Several empirical studies have challenged tournament theory by pointing out that (1) there is considerable pay variation within hierarchy levels, (2) promotion premiums only in part explain hierarchical wage differences and (3) external recruitment is observable on nearly any hierarchy level. We explain these empirical puzzles by combining job-promotion tournaments with higher-level bonus payments in a two-tier hierarchy. Moreover, we show that under certain conditions the firm implements first-best effort on tier 2 although workers earn strictly positive rents. The reason is that the firm can use second-tier rents for creating incentives on tier 1. If workers are heterogeneous, the firm strictly improves the selection quality of a job-promotion tournament by employing a hybrid incentive scheme that includes bonus payments.

Keywords: bonuses; job promotion; limited liability; tournaments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D82 D86 J33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Relative Performance Pay, Bonuses, and Job-Promotion Tournaments (2008)
Working Paper: Relative Performance Pay, Bonuses, and Job-Promotion Tournaments (2008)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:bonedp:162008

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