We develop a model of competition for managerial talent in which firms asymmetrically learn about the ability of their managers. In equilibrium, firms poach talent from competitors, even in the absence of gains from trade. Our main result is that firms inefficiently chase lemons: some poached...

We present a model in which firms compete for workers who have a taste for a nonpecuniary job attribute, such as purpose, sustainability, ES/CSR, or working conditions. Firms can invest in flexible production technologies that allow them to create jobs with different levels of the desirable job...