This paper discusses the optimal firm size in the presence of influence activities, and the level of individual rent-seeking dependent on the economic situation of the firm. Since firm size has a discouraging effect on the level of individual rent-seeking but also a quantity effect as the number...

According to New Institutional Economics, two or more individuals will found an organization, if it leads to a benefit compared to market allocation. A natural consequence will then be internal rent seeking. We discuss the interrelation between profits, rent seeking and the foundation of...

The paper examines the longitudinal impact that returns to scale and organisational variables have upon firm sales' growth. To attain this, and using a Spanish data set for the period 1995-2001, we introduce a non-parametric technique (Data Envelopment Analysis) to obtain qualitative information...

This paper presents a model in which promotion of employees within the internal firm hierarchy is determined by the individuals' allocation of time between promotion/rent-seeking and productive activity. We consider the effect of an increase in the employer's knowledge (information) regarding...

This paper presents a model in which promotion of employees within the internal firm hierarchy is determined by the individuals' allocation of time between promotion/rent-seeking and productive activity. We consider the effect of an increase in the employer's knowledge (information) regarding...

Large-scale business subsidies tied to national industrial development promotion programmes are notoriously difficult to study and are often inseparable from the political economy of large government programmes. We use the Tunisian national firm registry panel database, data on treated firms,...

Establishment exposure to crime is a frequent occurrence and a major obstacle to business operation in developing economies. We present a simple theory for the frequency and severity of crime across establishment size that is validated against the data in South America. We find that high...

This paper looks at the interactive effects of bribes and financial constraints on firm growth. Existing empirical work, such as Fisman and Svensson (2007) find the rate of taxation and bribery are negatively correlated with firm growth, has been challenged by the positive association between...

How large should a team be? We develop a basic group work model with endogenous team size. In teams that are too small, complementarities cannot develop properly, whereas in teams that are too large, the free-rider problem becomes overwhelming. If team members are overconfident, effort levels...

This paper develops a simple competitive model of CEO pay. A large part of the rise in CEO compensation in the US economy is explained without assuming managerial entrenchment, mishandling of options, or theft. CEOs have observable managerial talent and are matched to assets in a competitive...