Specialist vs. Generalist: Efficiency in Multitasking

C-Tier
Journal: Economics Letters
Year: 2021
Volume: 199
Issue: C

Authors (3)

Buchen, Clemens (not in RePEc) Kragl, Jenny (EBS Universität für Wirtschaft...) Palermo, Alberto (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.335 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 0.5x C-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We show that under multitasking — where tasks can be substitutes or complements — a specialist worker with an uneven skill distribution can outperform a generalist with higher average skills. We use a principal–agent model to study worker efficiency and welfare. The main result is robust if a rent-efficiency trade-off is added.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:ecolet:v:199:y:2021:i:c:s0165176520304596
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25