ECIN Replication Package for "Social distance and delegation: does anonymity matter?"

In this
paper, we report on two experimental studies that examine the impact of social
distance on delegation and uncover the role of anonymity driving delegation in
a principal-agent setting. Study 1 shows that reducing the social distance
makes principals less likely to delegate. Study 2 offers evidence that the
likelihood of delegation is not affected by whether the principal is informed
that the recipients will not find out whether the principal is their friend or
a stranger. Our findings have implications for the underlying sources of
pro-sociality in organisational settings where managers make their decisions
through hiring external agents.

本论文报告两项实验研究，旨在探究社会距离对授权行为的影响，并揭示委托-代理（principal-agent）情境中匿名性驱动授权的作用机制。研究1发现，缩小社会距离会降低委托方实施授权的概率。研究2提供的实证证据表明，即便委托方被告知受委托方无法分辨委托方究竟是其好友还是陌生人，授权发生的概率也不会受到该信息的影响。本研究结果对于管理者通过聘用外部代理开展决策的组织场景中，亲社会性（pro-sociality）的深层来源具有重要启示。