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Information Control in the Principal-Agent Problem

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  • Sobel, Joel

Abstract

This paper compares the principal's payoff in agency models under different assumptions about the agent's access to information. The agent may make decisions before (is uninformed) or after (is informed) learning the state of nature. When there are two possible outcomes, the principal typically prefers informed to uninformed agents, whether the agent receives the information before or after contracting. This result is false when there are more than two outcomes. Conditions under which a principal prefers one agent to another, when the agents differ only in their disutility of effort, are also given. Copyright 1993 by Economics Department of the University of Pennsylvania and the Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association.

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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association in its journal International Economic Review.

Volume (Year): 34 (1993)
Issue (Month): 2 (May)
Pages: 259-69

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Handle: RePEc:ier:iecrev:v:34:y:1993:i:2:p:259-69

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Cited by:
  1. Shin, Dongsoo, 2008. "Information acquisition and optimal project management," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 1032-1043, July.
  2. Chade, Hector & Silvers, Randy, 2002. "Informed principal, moral hazard, and the value of a more informative technology," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 74(3), pages 291-300, February.
  3. Silvers, Randy, 2012. "The value of information in a principal–agent model with moral hazard: The ex post contracting case," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 74(1), pages 352-365.
  4. Cremer, J. & Khalil, F. & Rochet, J-C., 1997. "Contracts and productive information gathering," Discussion Paper Series In Economics And Econometrics 9707, Economics Division, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton.
  5. Manuel Willington, 2004. "Pre-Contractual Information Acquisition," ILADES-Georgetown University Working Papers inv154, Ilades-Georgetown University, Universidad Alberto Hurtado/School of Economics and Bussines.
  6. Bergemann, Dirk & Pesendorfer, Martin, 2007. "Information structures in optimal auctions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 137(1), pages 580-609, November.
  7. Iossa, Elisabetta & Stroffolini, Francesca, 2002. "Price cap regulation and information acquisition," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 20(7), pages 1013-1036, September.
  8. Juan-José Ganuza, 2003. "Ignorance Promotes Competition: an Auction Model with Endogenous Private Valuations," Working Papers 107, Barcelona Graduate School of Economics.
  9. Justin P. Johnson & David P. Myatt, 2006. "On the Simple Economics of Advertising, Marketing, and Product Design," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(3), pages 756-784, June.
  10. Iossa, Elisabetta & Legros, Patrick, 2001. "Third Party Monitoring and Golden Parachutes," CEPR Discussion Papers 2777, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  11. Randy Silvers, 2006. "The Value of Information in an Agency Model with Moral Hazard," Economics Series 2006_22, Deakin University, Faculty of Business and Law, School of Accounting, Economics and Finance.
  12. Ed Nosal, 2003. "Information gathering by a principal," Working Paper 0307, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

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