When a platform crowdsources a multi-phased project as multiple contests, it posts a focal phase contest after prior phases' contests are completed. Because a prior phase's winning solution becomes an input in the focal phase contest, this multi-phased setup can be leveraged to objectively gauge...

Standard game-theoretic analysis of a principal-agent problem postulates that in a one-period game the agent will not choose non-contractible quality. However, evidence exists that service providers choose costly quality in non-contractible dimensions, even in absence of reputation concern, if...