Getting More Work for Nothing? Symbolic Awards and Worker Performance
通过田野实验，研究发现纯象征性的荣誉卡奖励能使工人绩效平均提升约12%，证明了地位和社会认可在劳动关系中的激励作用。
We study the impact of status and social recognition on worker performance in a field experiment. In collaboration with an international non-governmental organization, we hired students to work on a database project. Students in the award treatment were offered a congratulatory card honoring the best performance. The award was purely symbolic to ensure that any behavioral effect is driven by non-material benefits. Our results show that the award increases performance by about 12 percent on average. The results provide strong evidence for the motivating power of status and social recognition in labor relations.