PhD Defense - Hugo TRAD : "The War on Sludge : Uncovering the Cognitive Roots of Administrative Complexity."

Date/time : Monday, December 16th, 10:00 a.m. (Paris time)

Location : Amphithéâtre Jaurès, École normale supérieure, 29 rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris. For those unable to attend in person, it will also be possible to join remotely on Teams by registering via the following link : Register for the webinar

Abstract

Administrative procedures often create "sludge"—frictions that impede action and generate costs for both organizations and individuals. While political and structural drivers of administrative complexity are well-documented, the cognitive mechanisms underlying the emergence and persistence of sludge remain underexplored. Through three series of experimental studies (N=3,278), this thesis investigates how cognitive mechanisms and biases—namely additive bias, our moral intuitions, and outcome bias—systematically influence how administrative procedures are designed, evaluated, and maintained, ultimately contributing to excessive bureaucracy. In turn, our findings provide valuable insights for developing more effective strategies to reduce unnecessary sludge and promote more efficient administrative practices.