Security Bid Auctions for Agency Contracts

Review of Economic Design 7: 443–463 (2003)

29 Pages Posted: 7 Nov 2013 Last revised: 8 Nov 2022

See all articles by Byoung Jun

Byoung Jun

Korea University

Elmar G. Wolfstetter

Humboldt University of Berlin - Faculty of Economics; Korea University - College of Economics and Commerce; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: October 30, 2013

Abstract

A principal uses security bid auctions to award an incentive contract to one among several agents in the presence of hidden action and hidden information. Securities range from cash to equity and call options. “Steeper” securities are better surplus extractors that narrow the gap between the two highest valuations, yet reduce effort incentives. In view of this trade-off, a hybrid share auction that includes a (possibly negative) cash reward to the winner, a minimum share, and an option to call a fixed wage contract, tends to outperform all other auctions, although it is not an optimal mechanism. However, by adding output targets to hybrid share auctions one can (arbitrary closely) implement the optimal mechanism.

Keywords: auctions and security design, agency problems

JEL Classification: D21, D43, D44, D45

Suggested Citation

Jun, Byoung and Wolfstetter, Elmar G., Security Bid Auctions for Agency Contracts (October 30, 2013). Review of Economic Design 7: 443–463 (2003), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2350191 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2350191

Byoung Jun

Korea University ( email )

1 Anam-dong 5 ka
Seoul, 136-701
Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

Elmar G. Wolfstetter (Contact Author)

Humboldt University of Berlin - Faculty of Economics ( email )

Institut für Wirtschaftstheorie I
Spandauer Strasse 1
Berlin
Germany
+49 30 2093 5652/3 (Phone)
+49 30 2093 5619 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://sites.google.com/view/wolfstetter/home

Korea University - College of Economics and Commerce ( email )

Anam-dong, Sungbuk-Ku
Seoul, 136-701
Korea

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.CESifo.de

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