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Heterogeneous outside options in contests

Author

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  • Grossmann, Martin
  • Dietl, Helmut

Abstract

This article describes a large number of contestants with high and low levels of talent who individually decide to enter a contest or take their heterogeneous outside options. We derive a critical condition for which only high types, only low types or both types participate in the contest. If a contest organizer is worried about the type participating in the contest, then he/she should provide a contest with low noise to attract high types. However, if a contest organizer's objective is to maximize the individual effort, he/she will not necessarily prefer to have the high types in the contest.

Suggested Citation

  • Grossmann, Martin & Dietl, Helmut, 2015. "Heterogeneous outside options in contests," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 280-287.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:poleco:v:37:y:2015:i:c:p:280-287
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2014.09.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Aycinena, Diego & Rentschler, Lucas, 2019. "Entry in contests with incomplete information: Theory and experiments," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    2. Cardona, Daniel & Rubí-Barceló, Antoni, 2016. "Group-contests with endogenous claims," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 97-111.
    3. Martin Grossmann, 2021. "Entry regulations and optimal prize allocation in parallel contests," Review of Economic Design, Springer;Society for Economic Design, vol. 25(4), pages 289-316, December.
    4. Helmut Dietl & Martin Grossmann & Andreas Hefti & Markus Lang, 2015. "Spillovers in Sports Leagues with Promotion and Relegation," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 62(1), pages 59-74, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Contest; Aggregate-taking behavior; Outside option;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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