| Abstract: |
Technology enables individuals, scientists, and organizations to share
valuable data and knowledge in new ways, not possible before. Scholars are
divided on how this phenomenon emerges, especially among strangers. The
classical homo oeconomicus type of preference does not provide an explanation
for this behavior. If individuals were simply self-centered, they would choose
to keep for themselves the valuable information they hold, especially in the
absence of any contract or guarantee of reciprocity. In this paper, we explain
why some individuals are willing to share valuable knowledge at their own cost
by crafting a model with heterogeneously-moral individuals involved in a
sharing social dilemma. Our model builds on the recent literature showing that
moral incentives are favored by evolution theoretically and have a strong
explanatory power empirically. Our analysis highlights the limit of financial
incentives, and the importance of promoting a sharing culture by enhancing
awareness. Shedding light on how people respond not only to financial but also
moral incentives, we contribute to the ongoing policy debate on the design of
efficient open science policies. |