Dirk Sliwka

Dirk Sliwka is a Professor of Management at the University of Cologne, Faculty of Management, Economics, and Social Sciences, within the Corporate Development department. He serves as a senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, a research fellow at IZA and CESifo, and is a member of C-SEB and ECONtribute. Sliwka is also an Executive Board Member of his institution and was recently recognized as one of the 40 leading HR minds for 2025 by HR magazine.

His research focuses on designing effective Human Resource Management practices within firms, with particular emphasis on incentive structures and performance management processes, as well as the role of social norms in organizations. Sliwka specializes in conducting field experiments within organizations to evaluate the impact of HR practices on behavior, performance, and well-being. His work spans organizational economics, personnel economics, behavioral economics, and management accounting.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the effectiveness of incentive systems, particularly examining how bonus structures can sometimes produce counterproductive outcomes. His research demonstrates sophisticated methodological approaches using field experiments in real organizational settings, contributing significantly to our understanding of how performance evaluations, compensation systems, and social dynamics interact in workplace environments. His work has been published in top-tier journals including Management Science, Journal of Labor Economics, and Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization.

• 40 leading HR minds 2025 award from HR magazine
• Recognized as one of Germany's most influential economists in the FAZ Economics Ranking 2017
• Editorial positions at Management Science journal

Sliwka has conducted numerous field experiments in collaboration with organizations across various sectors, including retail chains, financial services, and public institutions. His research has been widely cited in both academic literature and major media outlets including The Economist, Wall Street Journal, Handelsblatt, and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. His work on bonus systems, performance evaluations, and workplace motivation has influenced HR practices and organizational design globally.