Publications
Publications
- 2006
- HBS Working Paper Series
Worse but Equal: The Influence of Social Categories on Resource Allocations
By: Stephen M. Garcia, Max H. Bazerman, Shirli Kopelman and Dale T. Miller
Abstract
This paper explores the influence of social categories on the perceived trade-off between relatively bad but equal distribution of resources between two parties and profit maximizing, yet asymmetric payoffs. Study 1 and 2 showed that people prefer to maximize profits when interacting within their social category, but chose suboptimal individual and joint profits when interacting across social categories. Study 3 demonstrated that outside observers, who were not members of the focal social categories, also were less likely to maximize profits when resources were distributed across social category lines. Study 4 showed that the transaction utility of maximizing profits required greater compensation when resources were distributed across, in contrast to within social categories. We discuss the ethical implications of these decision making biases in the context of organizations.
Keywords
Citation
Garcia, Stephen M., Max H. Bazerman, Shirli Kopelman, and Dale T. Miller. "Worse but Equal: The Influence of Social Categories on Resource Allocations." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 06-033, February 2006. (Revised September 2008, June 2009. In press.)