We investigate the mechanisms that shape social comparison in organizations and generate social comparison costs. In particular, we focus on heterogeneity in the strength and type of incentives and argue that, from an efficient design perspective, such variance in rewards is a double-edged...

Recent decades have witnessed a growing focus on two distinct income patterns: persistent pay inequity, particularly a gender pay gap, and growing pay inequality. Pay transparency is widely advanced as a remedy for both. Yet we know little about the systemic influence of this policy on the...

"Every company needs a unique and insightful corporate theory to sustain value-creating growth. Such a theory, if done right, should help guide decisions about what assets and activities to pursue, what investments to make, and what strategies to adopt. It's not easy, though, because the process...

Taking advantage of the staggered timing of shocks to the availability of wage information for US academics we show that, across a range of metrics, transparency causes no decrease and, in some cases, results in an increase in performance outcomes. However, productivity responses predictably...