Jakob Alfitian

about

I am a Senior Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.

My research lies at the nexus of management research and labor economics. In particular, I examine the causal effects of human resource management (HRM) practices on employee behavior. To this end, I conduct field experiments in collaboration with firms and analyze firm data using data science methods. A key area of interest in my research is absenteeism.

My overarching objective is to contribute to a paradigm shift toward evidence-based management, advocating for HRM practices that promote both employee well-being and organizational success.

research

peer-reviewed paper

When Bonuses Backfire: Evidence from the Workplace
(with Dirk Sliwka and Timo Vogelsang)
Management Science (2024)


Media Coverage:
[Harvard Business Manager]

[Harvard Business Review]

[Fortune]

[The Economist]

working paper

The Hidden Costs of Dismissal: Behavioral Consequences of Impending Termination
(with Timo Vogelsang)
Revision requested at Journal of Labor Economics

Closing the Gender Gap in Salary Increases: Evidence from a Field Experiment on Promoting Pay Equity
(with Marvin Deversi and Dirk Sliwka)
Revision requested at Journal of Labor Economics

Media Coverage:
[IZA World of Labor]

Absenteeism and Firm Performance: Evidence from Retail
[working paper on request]

curriculum vitae

Please find my curriculum vitae here

contact