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Piece-Rate Incentives and Idea Generation: An Experimental Analysis

Research output: Working paper/PreprintWorking paper/Discussion paper

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • University of Cologne

Details

Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationMünchen
PublisherCESifo GmbH
Number of pages105
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2024

Publication series

NameCESifo Working Papers
ISSN (electronic)2364-1428

Abstract

We introduce the word illustration task (WIT), a novel experimental task to quantify performance in an idea generation context. Between treatments, we vary whether or not piece-rate (PR) incentives are implemented and the degree to which these incentives are aligned with the desirable outcome. We show that PR incentives have a positive impact on the number of innovative ideas, i.e., the number of ideas that are of high quality and original. We find that unweighted PR incentives (PR provided for any idea) perform at least as well as more aligned weighted PR incentives that are additionally contingent on the quality and/or originality of ideas. Our results suggest that when it comes to fostering idea generation, it is sufficient to incentivize trying instead of incentivizing succeeding.

Cite this

Piece-Rate Incentives and Idea Generation: An Experimental Analysis. / Laske, Katharina; Römer, Nathalie; Schröder, Marina Theresia.
München: CESifo GmbH, 2024. (CESifo Working Papers; No. 11594).

Research output: Working paper/PreprintWorking paper/Discussion paper

Laske K, Römer N, Schröder MT. Piece-Rate Incentives and Idea Generation: An Experimental Analysis. München: CESifo GmbH. 2024 Dec. (CESifo Working Papers; 11594).
Laske, Katharina ; Römer, Nathalie ; Schröder, Marina Theresia. / Piece-Rate Incentives and Idea Generation : An Experimental Analysis. München : CESifo GmbH, 2024. (CESifo Working Papers; 11594).
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AU - Schröder, Marina Theresia

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