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Skip to Content Japanese English Chinese About RIETI Site Map Help Contact Discussion Papers Search Site Search Menu Research Areas Research Programs (FY2024-2028) Research Programs (FY2020-2023) Research Programs (FY2016-2019) Research Programs (FY2011-2015) Policy Research Domains (FY2006-2010) Projects Survey Fellows According to Title Alphabetical order RIETI Alumni Research/Policy Papers Discussion Papers (English) Discussion Papers (Japanese) Policy Discussion Papers (English) Policy Discussion Papers (Japanese) Technical Papers (English) Technical Papers (Japanese) Non Technical Summaries List of Articles in Journals Research Digest Discussion Papers Search Publications RIETI Books (English) RIETI Books (Japanese) History of Japan's Trade and Industry Policy Authors' Words Other Publications (English) Other Publications (Japanese) Events Symposiums Workshops BBL Seminars Archived Seminar Series Data JIP Database R-JIP Database CIP Database Industry-Specific Nominal and Real Effective Exchange Rates AMU and AMU Deviation Indicators JSTAR RIETI-TID RIETI FDI Database ICPA Project Links Articles Column Special Series Newspapers & Magazines Fellows' Works VoxEU Column From IZA Perspectives from Around the World Other Contents RIETI Report Policy Update Keizai Sangyo Journal (METI Journal) Research Areas Fellows Research/Policy Papers Publications Events Data Articles Site Map Technical Issues Coontact Discussion Papers Search Close HomeResearch/Policy PapersDiscussion Papers (English)FY2024 The Management of Knowledge Work Print Author Name Wouter DESSEIN (Columbia University) / Desmond (Ho-Fu) LO (Santa Clara University) / SHANGGUAN Ruo (Jinan University) / OWAN Hideo (Faculty Fellow, RIETI) 　　　　 Creation Date/NO. April 2024 24-E-044 Research Project Productivity Effects of HRM Policies and Management Quality Download / Links Download paper [PDF:894KB] 　　　　 Abstract We explore the role of management in knowledge-intensive work. Our theory posits that the manager’s function in a project mainly consists of ex ante coordination, specifying and delegating tasks to the project team, and ex post coordination of the team’s execution of those tasks as the project unfolds. Consistent with the predictions generated from this view, our micro-level data from architectural design teams show a clear pattern of coordinated time use: (i) the involvement of both the manager and the project team is significantly higher ex ante than ex post; notably, this time pattern is more potent for more knowledge-intensive projects and projects subject to more information frictions, and (ii) the timing of the peak hours of the manager precedes those of the team. We also find that the team takes up the slack when the manager reduces ex-ante hours because of a heavier workload. Finally, projects in which managerial attention deviates from our predicted involvement correlate with higher team hours and lower overall profitability. Our study highlights the importance of managerial coordination and rational inattention in organizing knowledge workers. 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