What Is The Best Way To Deal With Free Riders

Free Rider Problem
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The free rider problem is commonplace in most social setups. It usually happens whe an individual enjoys outside benefits from other people or another person without his or her own input. In other terms, the individual benefits without really having to work hard or pay for the benefits. It mainly occurs in instances whereby the overall benefits cannot be withheld from the entire team.
Handling this problem entails a number of distinct strategies. First is individual delegation of duties. Each member of the team is supposed to be assigned a particular duty or responsibility. Based on the nature and size of the project, a list should also be drawn up, containing the particular duties and responsibilities assigned to the members (Bailey, 2009). The progress and delivery of each member is then recorded accordingly. Secondly, members can just partner on the duties at hand in such a manner that they simply count on each other in case of some difficulty, not the entire task. In this manner, there is some form of responsibility for each of the members. Free riding is therefore, greatly reduced. Finally, the free rider problem is usually a characteristic of huge teams. Therefore, if possible, breaking it up into smaller units can increase member visibility, thereby mitigating the problem (O’neil, 2007).
Free riders are a problem in the economic system as well as organizational levels, such as staff or class. In the economy, free riders are those individuals who try practicing tax evasion, and yet it is the same tax that helps in the payment of wages and provision of services by the government (Pfaff & Huddleston, 2003). For example, expecting a police officer to protect an individual, and yet he or she doesn’t pay taxes. The second illustration of free rider problem is in class or staff set...