The Effects of Financial and Recognition Incentives Across Work Contexts: The Role of Meaning
34 Pages Posted: 18 Apr 2016
Date Written: April 2016
Abstract
We manipulate workers' perceived meaning of a job in a field experiment and interact meaning of work with both financial and recognition incentives. Results show that workers exert more effort when meaning is high. Money has a positive effect on performance that is independent of meaning. In contrast, meaning and recognition interact negatively. Our results provide new insights into the stability of incentive effects across important work contexts. They also suggest that meaning and worker recognition may operate via the same motivational channel.
Keywords: context factors, field experiment, interactions, meaning, monetary incentives, worker recognition
JEL Classification: C93, J33, M12, M52
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
IZA Institute of Labor Economics
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CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) ( email )
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