Identity Economics: How Our Identities Shape Our Work, Wages, and Well-Being

By George A. Akerlof, Rachel E. Kranton

Categories: Business & Money, Politics & Social Sciences

Nobel laureate George A. Akerlof and economist Rachel E. Kranton add identity to economic analysis. They argue that people's sense of who they are, and the norms tied to their social groups, strongly influence their decisions at work, in school and in society. Using examples from organizations, education, gender and race, they show how identity can explain behavior that standard economics cannot, and why incentives alone often fail.

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