Rebate Rules in Threshold Public Good Provision

36 Pages Posted: 15 Jan 2009 Last revised: 14 Oct 2022

See all articles by Michael A. Spencer

Michael A. Spencer

Minnesota State University

Stephen K. Swallow

University of Rhode Island - Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

Jason F. Shogren

University of Wyoming

John A. List

University of Chicago - Department of Economics

Date Written: December 2008

Abstract

This paper considers how six alternative rebate rules affect voluntary contributions in a threshold public-good experiment. The rules differ by (1) whether an individual can receive a proportional rebate of excess contributions, a winner-takes-all of any excess contributions, or a full rebate of one's contribution in the event the public good is provided and excess contributions exist, and (2) whether the probability of receiving a rebate is proportional to an individual's contribution relative to total contributions or is a simple uniform probability distribution set by the number of contributors. The paper adds to the existing experimental economics literature on threshold public goods by investigating both aggregate and individual demand revelation under the winner-take-all and random full-rebate rules. Half of the rules (proportional rebate, winner-take-all with uniform probability among all group members, and random full-rebate with uniform probability) provide total contributions that nearly equal total benefits, while the rest (winner-take-all with proportional probability, winner-take-all with uniform probability among contributors only, and random full-rebate with proportional probability) exceed benefits by over 30 percent. Only the proportional rebate rule is found to achieve both aggregate and individual demand revelation. Our experimental results have implications for both fundraisers and valuation practitioners.

Suggested Citation

Spencer, Michael A. and Swallow, Stephen K. and Shogren, Jason F. and List, John A., Rebate Rules in Threshold Public Good Provision (December 2008). NBER Working Paper No. w14559, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1327232

Michael A. Spencer

Minnesota State University ( email )

Minnesota
United States

Stephen K. Swallow

University of Rhode Island - Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics ( email )

Kingston, RI 02881
United States

Jason F. Shogren

University of Wyoming ( email )

Department of Economics
BU292
Laramie, WY 82071-3985
United States
307-766-5430 (Phone)
307-766-5090 (Fax)

John A. List (Contact Author)

University of Chicago - Department of Economics ( email )

1126 East 59th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
United States