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Pré-Publication, Document De Travail Année : 2024

The Economics of Bullshit Jobs

Résumé

The notion of "bullshit jobs" was first introduced by anthropologist David Graeber in an article (2013) and later expanded into a book (2018): well paid jobs which are perceived as useless by those holding them, and even as contributing a net negative, leading to substantial job dissatisfaction. Various empirical studies have shown that a large share of all jobs may be qualified as bullshit jobs according to Graeber's definition (10-40%). However, no theoretical economic model exists that could account for this phenomenon. In this article, we develop a model of high-and low-skill labor, combined with middle management's specific incentives, and show that a pooling equilibrium can exist where jobs for skilled workers, receiving high wages, effectively are a squandering of resources, and satisfy the stylized facts that characterize bullshit jobs.
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hal-04388650 , version 1 (11-01-2024)

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  • HAL Id : hal-04388650 , version 1

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Laurent Gauthier. The Economics of Bullshit Jobs. 2023. ⟨hal-04388650⟩
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