We investigate the link between perceptions and behavior using the wage arrears phenomenon in Russia as our case study. To measure perception, we utilize assessments of ‘marketability’ -- what we call perceived demand. For behavior, we first consider the behavior of managers in the...

Labor market conditions deteriorated substantially in the1990s during Russia’s transition from plan to market, generating pervasive and prolonged economic insecurity. Our objective is to document perceptions of job insecurity among Russian workers over the course of the transition period and...

Economic insecurity is an inherent characteristic of the transition from a planned economy to a market-oriented economy and workers' assessments of their economic insecurity have direct consequences not only for their happiness/well-being, but also on consumption and saving behavior. This study...

Does gender equality in the workplace have consequences for job satisfaction? We use data collected from workers in six formerly socialist economies (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Serbia) to investigate the link between the perceived chance that a woman would hold a...

We investigate the link between perceptions and behavior using the wage arrears phenomenon in Russia as our case study. To measure perception, we utilize assessments of 'marketability' - what we call perceived demand. For behavior, we first consider the behavior of managers in the allocation of...

Does personality affect earnings? If so, are there gender differences in personality that explain part of the gender wage gap? We use survey data collected from over 2,600 Russian employees between 2000 and 2003 to evaluate the impact on earnings of two personality traits: locus of control...

We use data from an employee survey conducted in Russia, Armenia and Kazakhstan to investigate how much of the gender difference in pay in former socialist economies can be explained by personality. We consider a commonly used personality measure, locus of control (LOC), and find that among the...

We use data collected from employees in five transition economies to study whether locus of control and preference for challenge versus affiliation are positively related to worker performance. Participants with more education and who held supervisory positions were more likely to exhibit...

We develop a theoretical framework where the chance of any given democratic society maintaining its democratic status is determined by two key factors: economic security and democratic capital. Our model predicts democracy breakdown is more likely (1) the lower the level of democratic capital,...

How do attitudes affect performance? Numerous studies show that individuals who exhibit an internal locus of control perform better than those characterized by an external locus of control. We use survey data collected in two regions in Russia to determine whether these same results hold among...