Incentive Value Research Articles

Information Asymmetry and Agency Problems in the Financial Market

This paper discusses that the agency problem stems from the information asymmetry between shareholders and professional managers, this comes from the fact that shareholders cannot have expertise in every aspect. Therefore, in the actual operation of the company, it is necessary to hire professional managers to manage the company. However, at the same time, the two parties with asymmetric information have different ways of income. The professional manager whose income mainly comes from a fixed salary is bound to be more interested in short-term development than like the shareholders. The reason. The main income is profiting sharing and future asset appreciation. As a result, managers will not value long-term development as much as shareholders. As well as this paper will discuss whether it can minimize the agency cost by changing the remuneration method of professional managers to equity incentive value. This paper will also discuss the feasibility and possible problems by having directors directly involved in the management of the company, or creating a regulator to oversee the professional managers.

公平与激励

Integrating the theory of fairness and incentive in enterprise salary performance management can not only ensure the fairness of the salary system, but also stimulate the work enthusiasm and creativity of employees, shape a positive corporate culture and enhance the competitiveness of enterprises. Based on this, the article elaborates the application value of fairness and incentive in enterprise pay performance management, analyses the performance of imbalance between fairness and incentive in pay performance management, and finally explores the enterprise pay performance management strategy based on fairness and incentive from the aspects of pay system, incentive mechanism, enterprise culture, and pay performance management intelligence, with a view to providing useful reference for the innovation of enterprise pay performance management. In order to improve the efficiency of enterprise pay performance management, create a positive corporate atmosphere, and promote the sustainable development of enterprises.

Does it Pay to Send Multiple Pre-Paid Incentives? Evidence from a Randomized Experiment

To encourage survey participation and improve sample representativeness, the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) offers an unconditional pre-paid monetary incentive and separate post-paid incentive upon survey completion. We conducted a pre-registered between-subject randomized control experiment within the 2022 SCF, with at least 1,200 households per experimental group, to examine whether changing the pre-paid incentive structure affects survey outcomes. We assess the effects of: (1) altering the total dollar value of the pre-paid incentive (“incentive effect”), (2) giving two identical pre-paid incentives holding the total dollar value fixed (“reminder effect”), and (3) offering multiple pre-paid incentives of different amounts holding the total dollar value fixed (“slope effect”) on survey response rates, interviewer burden, and data quality. Our evidence indicates that a single $15 pre-paid incentive increases response rates and maintains similar levels of interviewer burden and data quality, relative to a single $5 pre-paid incentive. Splitting the $15 into two pre-paid incentives of different amounts increases interviewer burden though lengthening time in the field without improving response rates, reducing the number of contact attempts needed for a response, or improving data quality, regardless of whether the first pre-paid is larger or smaller than the second.

POLICY EVALUATION: IMPACT OF IMPORTATION INCOME TAX INCENTIVE

POLICY EVALUATION: IMPACT OF IMPORTATION INCOME TAX INCENTIVE

The effect of a financial incentive on COVID-19 vaccination uptake, and predictors of uptake, in people experiencing homelessness: A randomized controlled trial

People who are homeless are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection, and of poorer associated outcomes. Delivering vaccinations to, and ensuring uptake of multiple doses in, people who are homeless is complex. Financial incentives may improve vaccination uptake, particularly in people who have not received routine vaccinations previously, though evidence about the effect of incentives is limited and variable.This randomized controlled trial (ANZCTR 383156) assessed the effect of a financial incentive (an A$10 grocery voucher) on uptake of the second COVID-19 vaccination in Australian adults who were homeless, and who had received their first dose. Participants were recruited through a vaccination program for people experiencing homelessness between September 2021 and January 2022. They were followed-up for a minimum of 6.5 months. Uptake was measured ‘on-time’ at 6 weeks, and at any time during the trial period. Vaccination status was checked on the Australian Immunisation Register. Demographic and vaccination program characteristics associated with uptake were also investigated.Eighty-six people consented to participate, and 43 were randomly allocated to each of the ‘incentive’ and ‘no incentive’ groups. The incentive slightly increased the likelihood of a participant receiving a second vaccination on-time (risk difference (RD), 11.6 % [95 %CI, −9.0, 32.2 %]; p = 0.27), and at any time during the trial (RD, 14.0 % [95 %CI, –2.2, 30.1 %], p = 0.09). The incentive had a significant positive effect on uptake in people with no previous vaccination history, increasing their likelihood of receiving a second vaccination on-time (RD, 42.3 % [95 %CI, 15.7, 68.8 %]; p = 0.002) and at any time during the trial (RD, 38.7 % [95 %CI, 16.1, 61.3 %], p < 0.001).Financial incentives may increase COVID-19 vaccination uptake in people who are homeless, and particularly those who have no previous vaccination history. Future research should consider alternative incentive values, types, and cost-effectiveness.

Sign-tracking and goal-tracking in humans: Utilising eye-tracking in clinical and non-clinical populations

BackgroundIn Pavlovian conditioning, learned behaviour varies according to the perceived value of environmental cues. For goal-trackers (GT), the cue merely predicts a reward, whilst for sign-trackers (ST), the cue holds incentive value. The sign-tracking/goal-tracking model is well-validated in animals, but translational work is lacking. Despite the model’s relevance to several conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), we are unaware of any studies that have examined the model in clinical populations. MethodsThe current study used an eye-tracking Pavlovian conditioning paradigm to identify ST and GT in non-clinical (N = 54) and ADHD (N = 57) participants. Eye movements were recorded whilst performing the task. Dwell time was measured for two areas of interest: sign (i.e., cue) and goal (i.e., reward), and an eye-gaze index (EGI) was computed based on the dwell time sign-to-goal ratio. Higher EGI values indicate sign-tracking behaviour. ST and GT were determined using median and tertiary split approaches in both samples. ResultsDespite greater propensity for sign-tracking in those with ADHD, there was no significant difference between groups. The oculomotor conditioned response was reward-specific (CS+) and present, at least partly, from the start of the task indicating dispositional and learned components. There were no differences in externalising behaviours between ST and GT for either sample. ConclusionsSign-tracking is associated with CS+ trials only. There may be both dispositional and learned components to sign-tracking, potentially more common in those with ADHD. This holds translational potential for understanding individual differences in reward-learning.

Effects of Brief Mindfulness Training on Basketball Free-Throw Shooting Performance Under Pressure: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Dosage Response

Studies have indicated that as little as 15 min of mindfulness training (MT) positively affects sport performance under pressure, but the minimum amount of MT required to induce effects is unclear. The current experiment tested the effects of MT of different lengths on free-throw shooting under pressure. Forty-six participants (78% men) with competitive basketball experience completed pretest mindfulness and anxiety surveys and shot under low pressure. Using performance-based matched assignment, participants were randomly distributed into groups. On another day, participants completed audio trainings (6-min MT, 15-min MT, or control) and then shot under high pressure. Under high pressure, anxiety and mindfulness states did not differ among groups, nor were there group differences in average shooting percentage. However, only the control group performed worse on the second shot under high pressure compared with low pressure, suggesting possible protection effects of MT. Findings are discussed regarding application and possible interactions between traits, motivation, and incentive values.

Revolutionizing Packaging and Consumer Products: Exploring the Potential of Biodegradable Materials

The need to reduce environmental degradation has made it more crucial than at any time to identify sustainable packaging and consumer goods solutions. To bring the consumer goods industry into compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this research investigates the revolutionary potential of biodegradable materials. Through a priority on the lifetime assessment from manufacturing industries to post-consumer waste management, everyone looks at the most recent developments in the biodegradable material sciences and how they apply to packaging design. Our study incorporates findings from various fields to evaluate the social, economic, and environmental effects of biodegradable packaging options. This idea is an original framework that may be incorporated into the supply chain to reduce environmental impact and improve the circular economy principles. According to the research, biodegradable materials stimulate innovation, consumer responsibility, and regulatory compliance and present a practical substitute for conventional packaging. To support sustainable change in the sector, the research investigation ends with suggested strategies for stakeholders that highlight the value of market incentives, consumer education, and regulation. By presenting practical insights into the application of biodegradable materials as a catalyst for eco-innovation in consumer goods, this study advances the conversation on sustainable development.

Research on incentive and technological innovation models of biopharmaceutical companies

This article selects biopharmaceutical enterprises listed in high-tech industry as samples, using the Heckman selection model effectively avoid sample bias and according to linear analysis, this research tests the influence between senior management incentives and technological innovation based on the Chinese biopharmaceutical enterprises listed in high tech industry in a certain period. The empirical research results indicate that there is not a simple linear correlation between short-term salary incentives and technological innovation, and there is a curve relationship that first decreases and then increases among them; Long term equity incentives have a significant positive impact on technological innovation. This research aimed to find the maximum value of incentives, propose countermeasures and suggestions to avoid excessive salary incentives, appropriately improve the level of stock-based compensation, and establish a reasonable senior management incentive system for insight.

A dynamic incentive mechanism for data sharing in manufacturing industry

Data sharing is a critical component in a blockchain traceability platform. Therefore, creating a reasonable incentive mechanism to ensure that all enterprises participate in data sharing is vital for blockchain platforms. Currently, many researchers employ evolutionary game theory to analyze problems related to data sharing. However, evolutionary game theory typically assumes that the population composed of enterprises is mixed uniformly. Enterprises in the manufacturing industry are not uniformly mixed, as they tend to have specific connections with each other due to the size of enterprises and volume of business. Therefore, a networked evolutionary game is introduced to solve this problem. Firstly, an incentive model for enterprises sharing data is established. Then, a scale-free network is employed to simulate the connections between enterprises. To comprehensively consider the individual and group benefits of enterprises in the game, this study designs a strategy update rule for networked evolutionary game based on Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization and Variable Neighborhood Descent algorithm. To tackle the challenge of determining reasonable incentive values in networked evolutionary games, this study proposes a dynamic incentive mechanism based on the Q-Learning algorithm. Finally, the experiments indicate that this method can successfully facilitate the stable involvement of enterprises in data sharing.

The Role of Tax Incentives as A Fiscal Stimulus to The Tax Base and Income Tax Revenue Realization

The government's tax incentives can act as a fiscal stimulus to overcome and accelerate national economic recovery by allocating a tax-spending budget. However, it can lead to the impact of losing the tax base and decreasing the income from tax revenues. This study aims to analyze the effect of tax incentives on the tax base and the realization of income tax revenue. The sample comprised 142 taxpayers who applied for tax incentives due to the COVID-19 outbreak at Kantor Pelayanan Pajak (KPP) Pratama Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau, Indonesia, in 2020 and 2021. The data were analyzed using path analysis techniques. The analysis concludes that the tax base can mediate the tax incentive with the realization of income tax revenue, where tax incentives have a direct negative and significant relationship to the realization of income tax revenue through the tax base. If the government increases the value of the tax incentives, it will directly result in a decrease in the realization of income tax revenue due to taxes paid on the tax base. The research findings implicate that providing tax incentives can increase the tax base in several business sectors, such as health services and plantations. Tax incentives can also increase the aggregate utility of the economy, marked by a large consumption of goods or services. Previous researchers have never conducted this research and provided references regarding tax incentive policies and their impact on tax bases and the realization of tax revenues.

What if the reward is not as yummy? Study of the effects of successive negative contrast in domestic dogs in two different tasks

Successive Negative Contrast (SNC) occurs when there is a reduction in the quantity or quality of a reward that is expected according to the presence of contextual cues. This induces an emotional response of frustration that is similar to stress. While this phenomenon has been observed in several mammal species, findings in domestic dogs have been inconsistent, although this issue has strong relevance in dog training. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Successive Negative Contrast in two responses that had already been studied in this species, but with an increase in the methodological rigor and variations in the experimental conditions to examine the generalizability of the phenomenon. To this end, experimental dogs experienced a pre-shift phase in which they received a high-value reward (liver), followed by a post-shift phase in which they obtained a low-value reward (dry dog food), and then a re-shift phase in which the high-value reward was available again. Control dogs received dry food in all phases. The results show a contrast effect on the behavior of following human pointing to obtain food (Study 1). On the contrary, there were no differences in problem solving behavior after the de- and re-evaluation of the reward during a non-social task (Study 2). The results support that Successive Negative Contrast is not a consistent phenomenon in pet dogs. It is possible that certain characteristics of dogs such as the great availability of high-value rewards in their daily lives could attenuate the effects of a reduction in incentive value.

Blood Donor Incentives across 63 Countries: The BEST Collaborative Study

Incentives for blood donors are a much-debated strategy intended to ensure a sufficient supply of blood. Yet, there is a fundamental lack of knowledge about which incentives are offered by different blood collectors. We provide a comprehensive description of incentive policies for whole blood donors across 63 countries and 50 states of the United States. We collected data on incentive policies by conducting 2 surveys among representatives of blood collection establishments. Additionally, we integrated incentive data from an existing study and the World Health Organization (WHO). Lastly, we performed a web content analysis of blood collector websites and news releases to extend incentive data for the United States as well as underrepresented regions. We present descriptive analyses illustrating the type and value of incentives and their geographical distribution around the globe. Approximately half of the countries in our sample employ financial incentives, which include cash and tax benefits, but also less conventional incentives, such as healthcare supplements and raffles. Time off work is also commonly offered to blood donors and varies across blood collection establishments in duration and whether it is granted to all donors or only to those whose employer allows it. There is a geographical clustering of incentives, such that neighboring countries are more likely to employ similar incentives. This study provides insights into the strategies used for incentivizing blood donation and highlights the global diversity of incentive policies for whole blood donors. In stark contrast to WHO guidelines, half of the countries surveyed employ some kind of high-value incentive for blood donors. More realistic guidelines that are adapted to the local cultural and institutional context may be needed to maintain an adequate blood supply.

Vehicle-to-grid and car sharing: Willingness for flexibility in reservation times in Switzerland

Combining vehicle-to-grid (V2G) with car sharing can substantially contribute to decarbonization of both energy and transportation sectors. Car-sharing users’ booking slot flexibility is crucial for integration yet remains underexplored. We developed an integrated choice and latent variable model to estimate the value of financial incentives needed for shifting slots and how it is affected by socio-demographics, latent attitudes, trip-level characteristics. We conducted a stated preference survey with car sharing users in Switzerland. The value of time in our sample ranged between 22.4 CHF/h and 35.5 CHF/h (23.5 USD/h and 37.2 USD/h). Older adults, lower income groups, individuals in employment and with a university degree had lower time flexibility. Work, leisure, trips involving others, trips taking place during weekdays and morning peaks were harder to alter. This flexibility has the potential to encourage car-sharing operators and users to engage in V2G initiatives, contributing to decarbonization of transportation and energy systems.

The Effect of Certification and Work Motivation on Teacher’s Performance

This study examines how certification and job motivation affect elementary school teachers’ effectiveness in the Karang Agung Ilir District. 60 certified teachers served as samples for quantitative descriptive approaches. Surveys and interviews were used to gather data, which was then analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and partial least squares (PLS). The test findings demonstrate that the certification program motivates teachers, which enhances teacher performance by recognizing competence and ensuring financial security. Teachers with certifications are more active in training, focused, and deliver high-quality instruction. Incentives based on performance are also crucial for raising teacher motivation. These findings highlight the value of incentives and certification in raising educational standards through dedicated and financially secure teachers.

Inhibition of Dopamine Neurons Prevents Incentive Value Encoding of a Reward Cue: With Revelations from Deep Phenotyping.

The survival of an organism is dependent on its ability to respond to cues in the environment. Such cues can attain control over behavior as a function of the value ascribed to them. Some individuals have an inherent tendency to attribute reward-paired cues with incentive motivational value, or incentive salience. For these individuals, termed sign-trackers, a discrete cue that precedes reward delivery becomes attractive and desirable in its own right. Prior work suggests that the behavior of sign-trackers is dopamine-dependent, and cue-elicited dopamine in the NAc is believed to encode the incentive value of reward cues. Here we exploited the temporal resolution of optogenetics to determine whether selective inhibition of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons during cue presentation attenuates the propensity to sign-track. Using male tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-Cre Long Evans rats, it was found that, under baseline conditions, ∼84% of TH-Cre rats tend to sign-track. Laser-induced inhibition of VTA dopamine neurons during cue presentation prevented the development of sign-tracking behavior, without affecting goal-tracking behavior. When laser inhibition was terminated, these same rats developed a sign-tracking response. Video analysis using DeepLabCutTM revealed that, relative to rats that received laser inhibition, rats in the control group spent more time near the location of the reward cue even when it was not present and were more likely to orient toward and approach the cue during its presentation. These findings demonstrate that cue-elicited dopamine release is critical for the attribution of incentive salience to reward cues.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Activity of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) during cue presentation is necessary for the development of a sign-tracking, but not a goal-tracking, conditioned response in a Pavlovian task. We capitalized on the temporal precision of optogenetics to pair cue presentation with inhibition of VTA dopamine neurons. A detailed behavioral analysis with DeepLabCutTM revealed that cue-directed behaviors do not emerge without dopamine neuron activity in the VTA. Importantly, however, when optogenetic inhibition is lifted, cue-directed behaviors increase, and a sign-tracking response develops. These findings confirm the necessity of dopamine neuron activity in the VTA during cue presentation to encode the incentive value of reward cues.

Modulation of cue value and the augmentation of heroin seeking in chronically food-restricted male rats under withdrawal

Food restriction augments drug seeking in abstinent rats. The underlying motivational mechanisms, however, remain unclear. We hypothesized that caloric restriction enhances the incentive value attributed to drug-associated cues and, in turn, augments drug seeking. Male rats were trained to lever-press for heroin, and then moved to the animal colony for a forced-abstinence period. Rats were maintained on free access to food (Sated) or subjected to 14 days of food restriction (FDR). In a series of experiments, we assessed the effect of food-restriction on the incentive value of heroin-associated cues. Tests included performance under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement maintained by heroin-associated cues, acquisition of a novel operant response reinforced by drug-associated cues, effect of food-restriction on operant response reinforced by neutral cues, acquisition of a novel operant response reinforced by drug-associated or neutral cues, and the effect of food-restriction on operant response reinforced by drug-associated or neutral cues, under a discrete choice procedure.Food-restriction did not change breakpoints in PR maintained by heroin-associated cues. FDR rats acquired the novel response at a greater level compared to the Sated group. Food-restriction-induced increase in novel-response rate was observed for both heroin-paired and the neutral cue. Responding for a heroin-associated cue was greater than for the neutral cue in both Sated and FDR groups. Response rate for the neutral cue, however, was greater in the FDR versus Sated group.Our findings suggest that food restriction increases the conditioned motivational properties of environmental stimuli, including, but not exclusive to, heroin-paired cues.

Representation of rewards differing in their hedonic valence in the caudate nucleus correlates with the performance in a problem-solving task in dogs (Canis familiaris)

We have investigated dogs’ (Canis familiaris) abilities in associating different sounds with appetitive stimuli of different incentive values. The association’s establishment was first tested on family dogs (n = 20) in a problem-solving behavioural paradigm (experiment 1), then in a problem-solving behavioural paradigm as well as an fMRI study on specially trained family dogs (n = 20) (experiment 2). The aim was to show behavioural and parallel neural effects of the association formed between the two sounds and two different associated appetitive stimuli. The latency of solving the problem was considered an indicator of the motivational state. In our first experiment, where only behaviour was studied, we found that dogs were quicker in solving a problem upon hearing the sound associated with food higher in reward value, suggesting that they have successfully associated the sounds with the corresponding food value. In our second experiment, this behaviour difference was not significant. In the fMRI study, the cerebral response to the two sounds was compared both before and after the associative training. Two bilateral regions of interest were explored: the caudate nucleus and the amygdala. After the associative training, the response in the caudate nucleus was higher to the sound related to a higher reward value food than to the sound related to a lower reward value food, which difference was not present before the associative training. We found an increase in the amygdala response to both sounds after the training. In a whole-brain representational similarity analysis, we found that cerebral patterns in the caudate nucleus to the two sounds were different only after the training. Moreover, we found a positive correlation between the dissimilarity index in the caudate nucleus for activation responses to the two sounds and the difference in latencies (i.e. high reward value associated sound condition latency—low reward value associated sound condition latency) to solve the behavioural task: the bigger the difference between the conditions in latency to solve the task, the greater the difference in the neural representation of the two sounds was. In summary, family dogs’ brain activation patterns reflected their expectations based on what they learned about the relationship between two sounds and their associated appetitive stimuli.

Characteristic of Eco-Biologycal and Economic Value of Wedgefish (Rhynchobatus Australiae) in Tanjung Luar, East Lombok

White Spotted Wedgefish (Rhynchobatus australiae) is one of the member Elasmobranch family which is categorized as an endangered species. The R. australiae is the main target by fishers in Tanjung Luar and Maringkik Island. This study was aimed to analyze ecobiological aspect and to estimate economical incentive value of R. australiae fisheries in Tanjung Luar. The Total of 616 samples were collected from Tanjung Luar Fishing Port from 2017-2021, consisting of 64 males and 552 females. Total 150 fisher respondents from Tanjung Luar and Maringkik Island were interviewed. R-Studio software was used to estimate the ecobiological aspects based on life history parameters. Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) and Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) were used to estimate economical incentive. The result show that the average length of R. australiae was 213,12 ± 2,63 (cmTL) which is accordance with the regulation. However, the sample of R. australiae was dominated by immature size fish. The growth rate of female R. australiae was lower and have a longer lifespan than male. The condition of R. australiae in Tanjung Luar waters was categorized as biological overfishing. The value of Total Willingness to Pay (WTP) for R. australie conservation was Rp11.226.000/month, whereby the value for individual was Rp.62.340/person. Education and income are the most significant variables affecting WTP.

Atomoxetine promotes incentive value of modafinil and sensitizes exploratory behavior

Substance dependence is a disorder that alters the functioning of the nervous system due to frequent abuse of drugs. The role of dopamine in the addictive effect of psychostimulants is well known; however, the involvement of the noradrenergic system is still unclear and poorly understood, though drugs like cocaine and amphetamines are known to exert significant activity on this system. The drug modafinil (MOD) has no proven addictive effect. It promotes wakefulness by acting mainly on the dopaminergic system and, to a lesser degree, the noradrenergic (NOR) system. Atomoxetine (ATX) is a non-stimulant drug that acts only on the NOR system, enhancing its activity. The aims of the present study were to analyze the effect of co-activating the DA and NOR systems (with MOD and ATX, respectively) on motor activity and exploratory behavior, and to examine the possible emergence of rewarding properties of MOD and an MOD+ATX mixture. Male Wistar rats at postnatal day 60 were treated chronically (16 days) with either monotherapy with 2ATX, 4ATX, or 60MOD mg/kg, two combinations of these substances –60MOD + 2ATX and 60MOD + 4ATX– or a vehicle. The rats co-administered with 60MOD + 4ATX reduced the rearing behavior frequency induced by MOD, but this behavior was sensitized by self-administration of the MOD+ATX mixture after chronic treatment. The rats pre-treated with 60MOD + 4ATX showed higher self-administration of MOD and greater activity on an operant task to obtain the MOD+ATX mixture. In addition, the 60MOD, 2ATX, and 60MOD + 2ATX groups showed sensitization of exploratory behavior after ingesting the mixture. Results suggest that the noradrenergic system enhances the incentive value of MOD and a MOD+ATX mixture, while also playing an important role in the sensitization of exploratory behavior.