While We're On the Topic of Incentives....

Don't know why, but I've been on incentives kick lately.  These links were accordingly fascinating to me.

Blatantly stealing from Tabarrok over at the wonderful Marginal Revolution blog (which you should definitely check out), here's a fun question:

What is the smart response to this sign (assuming you're carrying drugs)?

And Seth Godin's Blog gives us this little gem relating to incentives and transaction costs.  He notes that in New York City, following the mandatory insertion of credit-card capabilities in taxi cabs, "tips are up, way up."  He explains that it's only one or two clicks on the screen to give a pre-defined $2 or $3 tip; to be a cheapskate and only give $0.75 on that short taxi ride, you have to bear the cost of additional clicks and precious seconds--in technology terms, the equivalent of running a marathon uphill....

Finally, and in similar transaction-costs-and-incentives fashion, a new employee that I work with has used glucose-based incentives to great effect (to protect her anonymity, I'll call her Shaq-Attack (because she's awesome (and because her name resembles one of the words))).  

Shaq-Attack has an office tucked off in an out-of-the-way corner of the office.  Despite this, she receives more friendly visits than most of us.  It's hard to determine causality, but it's either her dry wit or bottomless bowl of candy.  Good candy, too, not those little traffic-cone-Halloween things or knock-off Jolly Ranchers.  Either way, I'm there at least once a day....

Hooray incentives!

Comments

[Ann Zerkle]

So, what happens when we all start gaining weight due to Shaq-Attack's incentives plan... :)

[Chantilly]

I love being right next to Shaq-Attack's office! :)

[LKK]

There is a competing incentive system for health-conscious employees in my office!

[Andy Gillette]

Unfortunately LKK, I think the market has spoken on the 'health-conscious' option....