Backup Plans: The Impact of Disclosure on Perceptions of Expert Competence

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Palmeira, Mauricio; Polman, Evan
• 署名单位: State University System of Florida; University of South Florida; University of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin Madison
• 刊物名称: MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0025-1909
• DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2023.02615
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: Experts; advice; backup plans; competence; SOCIAL JUDGMENT

摘要

People often consult experts to provide solutions to their problems. Oftentimes, an initial attempt to solve a problem fails, and these experts (e.g., advisors, consultants, specialists, and service providers) will resort to a backup plan. A backup plan can be presented when it is needed (i.e., after an initial failure) or in advance (i.e., before a potential failure). We examine how the timing of disclosure of a backup plan affects judgments of an expert's competence. We show that although people expect experts to have a backup plan, they react more negatively if it is presented after (versus before) it is needed, all things equal. This competence penalty disappears when people are prompted to think about what an expert would do in case of failure as indeed, an alternative plan is expected. Importantly, our findings indicate that there is no competence penalty for early disclosure of a backup plan, regardless of the outcome of the initial plan: if it has failed, has succeeded, or is still ongoing. However, we do find one exception; early disclosure has a negative impact if multiple backup plans are disclosed while the initial plan is in progress.