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Contracting for information under imperfect commitment

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Author Info
Vijay Krishna
John Morgan

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Abstract

We study optimal contracting under imperfect commitment in a model with an uninformed principal and an informed agent. The principal can commit to pay the agent for his advice but retains decision-making authority. Under an optimal contract, the principal should (i) never induce the agent to fully reveal what he knows-even though this is feasible-and (ii) never pay the agent for imprecise information. We compare optimal contracts under imperfect commitment to those under full commitment as well as to delegation schemes. We find that gains from contracting are greatest when the divergence in the preferences of the principal and the agent is moderate. Copyright (c) 2008, RAND.

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File URL: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1756-2171.2008.00043.x
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Publisher Info
Article provided by RAND Corporation in its journal The RAND Journal of Economics.

Volume (Year): 39 (2008)
Issue (Month): 4 ()
Pages: 905-925
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Handle: RePEc:bla:randje:v:39:y:2008:i:4:p:905-925

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Aghion, Philippe & Tirole, Jean, 1997. "Formal and Real Authority in Organizations," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 105(1), pages 1-29, February.
    Other versions:
  2. Gilligan, Thomas W & Krehbiel, Keith, 1987. "Collective Decisionmaking and Standing Committees: An Informational Rationale for Restrictive Amendment Procedures," Journal of Law, Economics and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(2), pages 287-335, Fall.
  3. Bajari, Patrick & Tadelis, Steven, 2001. "Incentives versus Transaction Costs: A Theory of Procurement Contracts," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 32(3), pages 387-407, Autumn.
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  4. Prendergast, Canice, 1993. "A Theory of "Yes Men."," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(4), pages 757-70, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Bester, Helmut & Strausz, Roland, 2001. "Contracting with Imperfect Commitment and the Revelation Principle: The Single Agent Case," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 69(4), pages 1077-98, July.
  6. Sappington, David, 1983. "Limited liability contracts between principal and agent," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 1-21, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Gilligan, Thomas W. & Krehbiel, Keith., 1987. "Collective Decision-Making and Standing Committees: An Informational Rational for Restrictive Amendment Procedures," Working Papers 632, California Institute of Technology, Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences. [Downloadable!]
  8. Crawford, Vincent P & Sobel, Joel, 1982. "Strategic Information Transmission," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(6), pages 1431-51, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Dessein, Wouter, 2002. "Authority and Communication in Organizations," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 69(4), pages 811-38, October.
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  1. Alonso, Ricardo & Matouschek, Niko, 2005. "Relational Delegation," IZA Discussion Papers 1454, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  2. Helmut Bester, 2005. "Externalities, Communication and the Allocation of Decision Rights," Discussion Papers 69, SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Joanne Yoong & Angela A. Hung, 2009. "Self-Dealing and Compensation for Financial Advisors," Working Papers 713, RAND Corporation Publications Department. [Downloadable!]
  4. Susan Athey & Ilya Segal, 2007. "An Efficient Dynamic Mechanism," Levine's Bibliography 122247000000001134, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  5. Helmut Bester & Daniel Krähmer, 2008. "Exit Options in Incomplete Contracts with Asymmetric Information," Discussion Papers 251, SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems, Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Alonso, Ricardo & Matouschek, Niko, 2005. "Relational Delegation," CEPR Discussion Papers 4870, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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