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Other-Regarding Preferences and Incentives in the Societal Context

Author

Listed:
  • Kragl, Jenny
  • Bental, Benjamin
Abstract
The article is concerned with understanding the impact of social preferences and wealth inequality on aggregate economic outcomes. We investigate how different manifestations of other-regarding preferences affect incentive contracts at the microeconomic level and how these in turn translate into macroeconomic outcomes. Increasing the workers' sensitivity to inequality raises effort and reduces wage costs for poor but not necessarily for rich workers. A parameterized version of the model roughly mimicking relevant key features of the industrialized world shows that, at the general equilibrium, increased initial wealth differences raise aggregate profit and output but entail distributional utility losses and increased inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Kragl, Jenny & Bental, Benjamin, 2020. "Other-Regarding Preferences and Incentives in the Societal Context," VfS Annual Conference 2020 (Virtual Conference): Gender Economics 224547, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc20:224547
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    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/224547/1/vfs-2020-pid-39199.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    other-regarding preferences; incentives; general equilibrium; inequality; wealth; income; inequality aversion; competitiveness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D50 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - General
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management

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