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![Incentivology: The Forces That Explain Tremendous Success and Spectacular Failure by [Jason Murphy]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Zez5zqj0L._SY346_.jpg)
Incentivology: The Forces That Explain Tremendous Success and Spectacular Failure Kindle Edition
by
Jason Murphy
(Author)
Format: Kindle Edition
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Rewards. Punishments. Prices. The Nobel Prize. Candy Crush. Incentives take more forms than you might expect and they can be hard to spot, but they shape our lives in ways that we rarely examine.
Some incentives are obvious, like for example, publicly committing to doing something you dislike in order to motivate you to do something difficult, like lose weight. But, many of the most powerful incentives are accidental, and invisible even to those who designed them. Some are tame – and some are most definitely not. Whether it’s bounties for criminals or Instagrammable meals, training your dog or saving the planet, incentives regularly backfire, go missing, mutate and evolve. Without oversight, their unintended consequences can have very global effects. In Incentivology, economist Jason Murphy uncovers the huge incentive systems we take for granted and turns them inside out. In lively, entertaining prose he explores the mechanisms behind many spectacular failures and successes in our history, culture and everyday lives, and shows us how to use (or lose) incentives in our world at large.
Some incentives are obvious, like for example, publicly committing to doing something you dislike in order to motivate you to do something difficult, like lose weight. But, many of the most powerful incentives are accidental, and invisible even to those who designed them. Some are tame – and some are most definitely not. Whether it’s bounties for criminals or Instagrammable meals, training your dog or saving the planet, incentives regularly backfire, go missing, mutate and evolve. Without oversight, their unintended consequences can have very global effects. In Incentivology, economist Jason Murphy uncovers the huge incentive systems we take for granted and turns them inside out. In lively, entertaining prose he explores the mechanisms behind many spectacular failures and successes in our history, culture and everyday lives, and shows us how to use (or lose) incentives in our world at large.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHardie Grant Books
- Publication date1 June 2019
- File size1067 KB
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Review
'With his sharp, incisive and engaging style, Jason Murphy brings economics to the masses. Always a must read!' – Daniel Sankey, The Australian
'There are certain scholarly, erudite economics commentators whose storied reputations precede them. Jason Murphy is not one of them. He is different. He has hijacked economics from the academy and taken it into the real world. In doing this, he makes it accessible — actually, very interesting — to people who are curious and thoughtful, but want to understand where the economy meets life. He compels you to read about economics, and that’s saying something.' – Eric Beecher, Crikey
'Jason Murphy possesses that rare gift of originality of thought and, rarer still, the ability to write about it with clarity, wit and insight.' – Mathew Dunckley, SMH/The Age --This text refers to the paperback edition.
'There are certain scholarly, erudite economics commentators whose storied reputations precede them. Jason Murphy is not one of them. He is different. He has hijacked economics from the academy and taken it into the real world. In doing this, he makes it accessible — actually, very interesting — to people who are curious and thoughtful, but want to understand where the economy meets life. He compels you to read about economics, and that’s saying something.' – Eric Beecher, Crikey
'Jason Murphy possesses that rare gift of originality of thought and, rarer still, the ability to write about it with clarity, wit and insight.' – Mathew Dunckley, SMH/The Age --This text refers to the paperback edition.
Review
With his sharp, incisive and engaging style, Jason Murphy brings economics to the masses. Always a must read! -- Daniel Sankey, The Australian --This text refers to the paperback edition.
About the Author
Jason Murphy is an economist who has worked at the Australian Treasury, the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Nauru, and the Australian Financial Review. He writes regularly for News.com.au and Crikey, blogs at thomasthethinkengine.com and has a passion for bringing economics into the everyday world. --This text refers to the paperback edition.
Product details
- ASIN : B07QDNJ53F
- Publisher : Hardie Grant Books; 1st edition (1 June 2019)
- Language : English
- File size : 1067 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 230 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: 219,080 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 15,009 in Business & Economics
- 64,021 in Whispersync for Voice
- 92,886 in Textbooks & Study Guides
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
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Jason Murphy trained as an economist and began his career at the Australian Treasury but soon broke out of the public service. He once lived in Nauru.
He has written for the Australian Financial Review, The Guardian, Crikey.com.au and many other publications. Incentivology is his first book.
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4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
25 global ratings
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Top reviews from Australia
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Reviewed in Australia on 23 June 2019
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I enjoyed this book because it made me think, it was quite humorous and made me laugh several times. It was easy to read, and had a positive attitude to the future of the human race.I would only recommend it to serious thinkers!
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Reviewed in Australia on 5 July 2019
Incentivology is at its heart a book about human psychology and its effect on society at large. To make his point, the author uses an eclectic blend of examples drawn from the fields of history, neuroscience, psychology, economics and technology.
This in itself is a fascinating read, and I personally learned more about Ned Kelly and cryptocurrency than I ever thought I would want to. What makes this book so engaging, however, is that the entire structure is woven together with an engaging narrative based on the author’s own life within Australian suburbia. Hipster bakeries, parental bribery and dog adoption are just a part of the quite amusing moments embedded liberally across this book and I found myself often laughing out loud.
Incentivology is definitely a fast paced romp through personal and historical foibles as much as it is a piece of economic literature. It is a light, humorous and informative read that I enjoyed immensely.
This in itself is a fascinating read, and I personally learned more about Ned Kelly and cryptocurrency than I ever thought I would want to. What makes this book so engaging, however, is that the entire structure is woven together with an engaging narrative based on the author’s own life within Australian suburbia. Hipster bakeries, parental bribery and dog adoption are just a part of the quite amusing moments embedded liberally across this book and I found myself often laughing out loud.
Incentivology is definitely a fast paced romp through personal and historical foibles as much as it is a piece of economic literature. It is a light, humorous and informative read that I enjoyed immensely.
Reviewed in Australia on 19 September 2019
This is a fascinating book for the curious minds wanting to learn while being amused. Great research and full of stories that resonate and explain how our world moves forward. It has a witty economics view point, great relatable stories and a fun read overall. Highly recommend!
Top reviews from other countries

Victoria E
5.0 out of 5 stars
Whip-smart and a great read - will buy for friends
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 September 2019Verified Purchase
Just finished reading this, it was a fun read!
I've read Freakonomics and the Malcolm Gladwell books, etc. This is in the same vein but taught me something new about economics - how incentives shape our world. The author writes in an easy conversational tone, and I've come away with more than just some great dinner party anecdotes (though I have those too); it was a hopeful and different take on some of the greatest global issues, and the role of incentives in affecting change.
Overall, a whole bunch of excellent yarns, big concepts captured concisely (have you ever thought long and hard about what a billion is?), and fresh insights and perspectives. Incisive reading that is going to make my Christmas shopping list very straightforward!
I've read Freakonomics and the Malcolm Gladwell books, etc. This is in the same vein but taught me something new about economics - how incentives shape our world. The author writes in an easy conversational tone, and I've come away with more than just some great dinner party anecdotes (though I have those too); it was a hopeful and different take on some of the greatest global issues, and the role of incentives in affecting change.
Overall, a whole bunch of excellent yarns, big concepts captured concisely (have you ever thought long and hard about what a billion is?), and fresh insights and perspectives. Incisive reading that is going to make my Christmas shopping list very straightforward!

5.0 out of 5 stars
Whip-smart and a great read - will buy for friends
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 September 2019
Just finished reading this, it was a fun read!Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 September 2019
I've read Freakonomics and the Malcolm Gladwell books, etc. This is in the same vein but taught me something new about economics - how incentives shape our world. The author writes in an easy conversational tone, and I've come away with more than just some great dinner party anecdotes (though I have those too); it was a hopeful and different take on some of the greatest global issues, and the role of incentives in affecting change.
Overall, a whole bunch of excellent yarns, big concepts captured concisely (have you ever thought long and hard about what a billion is?), and fresh insights and perspectives. Incisive reading that is going to make my Christmas shopping list very straightforward!
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Rodrigo Ruiz G.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesante lectura
Reviewed in Mexico on 8 January 2021Verified Purchase
En algunas partes fue poco aburrido, es decir, pudo haber omitido algunas explicaciones y haber sido más concreto en la materia.
Es interesante como cultura general, sin embargo esperaba más del tema.
Es interesante como cultura general, sin embargo esperaba más del tema.

Ale
1.0 out of 5 stars
No recibi mi producto
Reviewed in Mexico on 25 August 2020Verified Purchase
Nunca llego el producto