Contracting with Subjective Evaluations and Communication

Abstract

Should principals explain and justify their evaluations? In this paper the principal's evaluation is private information, but she can provide justification by sending a costly cheap-talk message. I show that the principal explains her evaluation to the agent if the evaluation turns out to be bad. The justification assures the agent that the principal has not distorted the evaluation downwards. In equilibrium, the wage increases in the agent's performance, when the principal justifies her evaluation. For good performance, however, the principal pays a constant high wage without justification. Furthermore, no payments to third parties are necessary if stochastic contracts are feasible.