Difference between revisions of "Signaling"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
== Concise description of theory == | == Concise description of theory == | ||
*In economics, more precisely in contract theory, '''signaling''' is the idea that one party (termed the ''agent'') credibly conveys some information about itself to another party (the ''principal''). For example, in Michael Spence's job-market signalling model, (potential) employees send a signal about their ability level to the employer by acquiring certain education credentials. The informational value of the credential comes from the fact that the employer assumes it is positively correlated with having greater ability. | *In economics, more precisely in contract theory, '''signaling''' is the idea that one party (termed the ''agent'') credibly conveys some information about itself to another party (the ''principal''). For example, in Michael Spence's job-market signalling model, (potential) employees send a signal about their ability level to the employer by acquiring certain education credentials. The informational value of the credential comes from the fact that the employer assumes it is positively correlated with having greater ability. | ||
| + | *In the IS literature, signaling theory has been used to study how IT artifacts and Non-IT mechanisms could mitigate consumers' uncertainty about sellers and products. | ||
== Diagram/schematic of theory == | == Diagram/schematic of theory == | ||
Latest revision as of 05:07, 24 May 2015
Theory Name
- Signaling Theory
Acronym
- N/A
Alternate name(s)
- Signaling
Main dependent construct(s)/factor(s)
- Job outcome, price premium
Main independent construct(s)/factor(s)
- signals such as education (job applicants), warranty (products)
Concise description of theory
- In economics, more precisely in contract theory, signaling is the idea that one party (termed the agent) credibly conveys some information about itself to another party (the principal). For example, in Michael Spence's job-market signalling model, (potential) employees send a signal about their ability level to the employer by acquiring certain education credentials. The informational value of the credential comes from the fact that the employer assumes it is positively correlated with having greater ability.
- In the IS literature, signaling theory has been used to study how IT artifacts and Non-IT mechanisms could mitigate consumers' uncertainty about sellers and products.
Diagram/schematic of theory
Originating author(s)
- Michael Spence
Seminal articles
- Spence, M. (1973). Job market signaling. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 355-374.
Originating area
- Economics
Level of analysis
- Individual, product, firm
Links to WWW sites describing theory
Links from this theory to other theories
- Uncertainty theory, asymmetric information
IS articles that use the theory
- Dimoka, A., Hong, Y., & Pavlou, P. A. (2012). On product uncertainty in online markets: theory and evidence. MIS Quarterly, 36(2), 395-426.
- Ghose, A. (2009). Internet exchanges for used goods: An empirical analysis of trade patterns and adverse selection. Mis Quarterly, 263-291.
Contributor(s)
Date last updated
Please feel free to make modifications to this site. In order to do so, you must register.