The latter enables the agent to pursue its own interest and engage in opportunistic behaviour - shirking - at the cost of the principal's interest.

Opportunism or "opportunistic behavior" is an important concept in such fields of study as biology, transaction cost economics, game theory, ethics, psychology, sociology and politics.

Self-interested or opportunistic behavior in these circumstances can result in inferior economic outcomes.

Such incentive schemes, however, are reactive in the sense that they provide no mechanism for preventing mistakes or opportunistic behavior, and can elicit myopic behavior.

Putting all the assembly-line workers under command-and-control reduces this sort of opportunistic behavior, at least as long as it can be easily observed.

Because of the apparent lack of opportunistic behavior around species like these, thrashers are prone to be driven out of zones for territory competition.

Despite the opportunistic behavior, they are skilled predators that prey on a variety of species.

According to Williamson, the determinants of transaction costs are frequency, specificity, uncertainty, limited rationality, and opportunistic behavior.

His health was gravely affected and he was disgusted by the opportunistic behavior of many of his countrymen.

Note: due to their opportunistic behavior, Red Claw Crabs tend to try to attack and eat slow moving, sick, or bottom dwelling fish.