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Review of Economic Studies Vol. 88 No. 4 2021

Motivational Ratings

Johannes Hörner1; Nicolas S. Lambert2

1 Yale University and Toulouse School of Economics · 2 Stanford Graduate School of Business

Abstract

Performance evaluation (“rating”) systems not only provide information to users but also motivate the rated worker. This article solves for the optimal (effort-maximizing) rating within the standard career concerns framework. We prove that this rating is a linear function of past observations. The rating, however, is not a Markov process, but rather the sum of two Markov processes. We show how it combines information of different types and vintages. An increase in effort may adversely affect some (but not all) future ratings.

DOI
10.1093/restud/rdaa070
Volume
88
Issue
4
Pages
1892-1935
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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