Dr. Jakob Alfitian
Research Focus
My research lies at the nexus of management research and labor economics. In particular, I examine the causal effects of human resource management (HRM) practices on employee behavior. To this end, I conduct field experiments in collaboration with firms and analyze firm data using data science methods. A key area of interest in my research is absenteeism.
Academic Career
- 2024 – present: Senior Research Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Bonn, Germany
- 2018 – 2024: Dr. rer. pol. (summa cum laude), University of Cologne, Germany
- 2015 – 2018: M.Sc. Economics, University of Cologne, Germany
- 2012 – 2015: B.Sc. Business Administration, University of Cologne, Germany
Discussion Paper
Alfitian, Jakob (2025). Absenteeism and Firm Performance: Evidence from Retail. MPI Discussion Paper 2025/2.
Publications
Journal Article (2)
Alfitian, J., & (forthcoming). The hidden costs of dismissal: Behavioral consequences of impending termination. Journal of Labor Economics
Alfitian, J., , & (2024). When bonuses backfire: Evidence from the workplace. Management Science, 70(9), 6395–6414
Working Paper (1)
Alfitian, J. (2025). Absenteeism and firm performance: Evidence from retail. Bonn: Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Discussion Paper 2025/2
For more information, please visit my personal homepage.