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The Evolution of Sharing Rules in Rent Seeking Contests: Incentives Crowd Out Cooperation

Author

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  • Heinrich Ursprung

    (Department of Economics, University of Konstanz, Germany)

Abstract
Modern societies are characterized by competing organizations that rely predominantly on incentive schemes to align the behavior of their members with the organizations’ objectives. This study contributes to explaining why in so many cases incentive schemes have gradually crowded out cooperation as an organization device. Our explanation does not draw on free-riding, the obvious Achilles’ heel of cooperation, but relies completely on fundamental group contest mechanisms. By investigating a canonical rent seeking model and adopting an evolutionary perspective, the analysis identifies shortcomings in previous results, sets the record straight, and explains why the process of incentivizing organizations is protracted.

Suggested Citation

  • Heinrich Ursprung, 2011. "The Evolution of Sharing Rules in Rent Seeking Contests: Incentives Crowd Out Cooperation," Working Paper Series of the Department of Economics, University of Konstanz 2011-02, Department of Economics, University of Konstanz.
    • Handle: RePEc:knz:dpteco:1102
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    File URL: http://www.uni-konstanz.de/FuF/wiwi/workingpaperseries/WP_Ursprung-2-11.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Heinrich W. Ursprung, 2008. "Public Goods, Rent Dissipation, And Candidate Competition," Springer Books, in: Roger D. Congleton & Arye L. Hillman & Kai A. Konrad (ed.), 40 Years of Research on Rent Seeking 1, pages 329-346, Springer.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Arye L. Hillman & Heinrich W. Ursprung, 2016. "Where are the rent seekers?," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 124-141, June.
    2. Akio Kawasaki & Takao Ohkawa & Makoto Okamura, 2019. "Inter-group competition through joint marketing efforts and intra-group Cournot competition," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 203-224, December.
    3. Hefeker Carsten & Potrafke Niklas, 2021. "Heinrich W. Ursprung – Herausragender Ökonom, Mentor und Ratgeber," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 22(4), pages 370-374, November.
    4. Dhritiman Gupta, 2020. "Prize Sharing Rules in Collective Contests: Towards Strategic Foundations," Discussion Papers 20-01, Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi.
    5. Kahana, Nava & Klunover, Doron, 2014. "Rent seeking and the excess burden of taxation," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 158-167.
    6. Arye L. Hillman, 2021. "Heinrich Ursprung: a scholarly life," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 189(3), pages 305-312, December.
    7. repec:elg:eechap:15325_6 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Kahana, Nava & Klunover, Doron, 2014. "Rent Seeking and the Excess Burden of Taxation," IZA Discussion Papers 8160, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Patrick A. McLaughlin & Adam C. Smith & Russell S. Sobel, 2019. "Bootleggers, Baptists, and the risks of rent seeking," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 211-234, June.
    10. Vázquez-Sedano Alexis, 2018. "Sharing the Effort Costs in Group Contests," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 18(1), pages 1-21, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    group contests; rent-seeking; sharing rules; cooperation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects

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