Information Structures in Optimal Auctions

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Information Structures in Optimal Auctions

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Bergemann, Dirk
Pesendorfer, Martin

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Abstract

A seller wishes to sell an object to one of multiple bidders. The valuations of the bidders are privately known. We consider the joint design problem in which the seller can decide the accuracy by which bidders learn their valuation and to whom to sell at what price. We establish that optimal information structures in an optimal auction exhibit a number of properties: (i) information structures can be represented by monotone partitions; (ii) the cardinality of each partition is finite; (iii) the partitions are asymmetric across agents. These properties imply that the optimal selling strategy of a seller can be implemented by a sequence of exclusive take-it or leave-it offers.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 2991.

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Date of creation: Oct 2001
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:2991

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Article
- Bergemann, Dirk & Pesendorfer, Martin, 2007. "Information structures in optimal auctions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 137(1), pages 580-609, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Paper
- Dirk Bergemann & Martin Pesendorfer, 2001. "Information Structures in Optimal Auctions," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1323, Cowles Foundation, Yale University. [Downloadable!]

Find related papers by JEL classification:
C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure and Pricing - - - Auctions
D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information
D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search, Learning, and Information

References listed on IDEAS
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.:

Cremer, Jacques & Khalil, Fahad & Rochet, Jean-Charles, 1998. "Strategic Information Gathering before a Contract Is Offered," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 81(1), pages 163-200, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- Khalil, F & Rochet, J-C, 1997. "Strategic Information Gathering Before a Contract is Offered," Discussion Papers in Economics at the University of Washington 97-15, Department of Economics at the University of Washington.
- Khalil, F & Rochet, J-C, 1997. "Strategic Information Gathering Before a Contract is Offered," Working Papers 97-15, University of Washington, Department of Economics.
- CRÉMER, Jacques & KHALIL, Fahad & ROCHET, Jean-Charles, 1996. "Strategic Information Gathering Before a Contract Is Offered," IDEI Working Papers 61, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse.
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Cremer, Jacques & Khalil, Fahad & Rochet, Jean-Charles, 1998. "Contracts and Productive Information Gathering," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 174-193, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- Khalil, F & Rochet, J-C, 1997. "Contracts and Productive Information Gathering," Working Papers 97-16, University of Washington, Department of Economics.
- 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.
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Motty Perry & Philip J. Reny, 1999. "On The Failure of the Linkage Principle in Multi-Unit Auctions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 67(4), pages 895-900, July.
Stegeman, Mark, 1996. "Participation Costs and Efficient Auctions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 228-259, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Dirk Bergemann & Juuso Vaimaki, 2000. "Information Acquisition and Efficient Mechanism Design," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1248, Cowles Foundation, Yale University. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Dirk Bergemann & Juuso Valimaki, 2002. "Information Acquisition and Efficient Mechanism Design," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 70(3), pages 1007-1033, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Nicola Persico, 2000. "Information Acquisition in Auctions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 68(1), pages 135-148, January.
Other versions:
- Nicola Persico, 1997. "Information Acquisition in Auctions," UCLA Economics Working Papers 762, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Crawford, Vincent P & Sobel, Joel, 1982. "Strategic Information Transmission," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(6), pages 1431-51, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Milgrom, Paul R & Weber, Robert J, 1982. "A Theory of Auctions and Competitive Bidding," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(5), pages 1089-1122, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- Paul Milgrom & Robert J. Weber, 1981. "A Theory of Auctions and Competitive Bidding," Discussion Papers 447R, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science. [Downloadable!]
Cremer, Jacques & Khalil, Fahad, 1992. "Gathering Information before Signing a Contract," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 82(3), pages 566-78, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- CRÉMER, Jacques & KHALIL, Fahad, 1991. "Gathering Information before Signing a Contract," IDEI Working Papers 5, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse. [Downloadable!]
- Cremer, J. & Khalil, F., 1991. "Gathering Information Before Signing a Contract," Working Papers 91-16, University of Washington, Department of Economics.
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, 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.)

Juan-Jose Ganuza & Jose S. Penalva-Zuasti, 2005. "On Information Revelation in Private Value Auctions," Levine's Working Paper Archive 666156000000000520, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
repec:att:wimass:192066 is not listed on IDEAS
Ronald M. Harstad, 2007. "Does a Seller Really Want Another Bidder?," Working Papers 0711, Department of Economics, University of Missouri. [Downloadable!]
Vasiliki Skreta, 2007. "On the Informed Seller Problem: Optimal Information Disclosure," Levine's Bibliography 843644000000000222, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Steven A. Matthews & Nicola Persico, 2007. "Information Acquisition and Refunds for Returns," PIER Working Paper Archive 07-021, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Steven A. Matthews & Nicola Persico, 2007. "Information Acquisition and Refunds for Returns," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 54, Collegio Carlo Alberto. [Downloadable!]
Peter Eso & Balazs Szentes, 2003. "The One Who Controls the Information Appropriates Its Rents," Discussion Papers 1369, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science. [Downloadable!]
Peter Eso & Balazs Szentes, 2002. "Optimal Information Disclosures in Auctions: The Handicap Auction," Discussion Papers 1361, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science. [Downloadable!]
Crémer, Jacques & Spiegel, Yossi & Zheng, Charles Zhoucheng, 2007. "Auctions with Costly Information Acquisition," Staff General Research Papers 12709, Iowa State University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Steven A. Matthews & Nicola Persico, 2005. "Information Acquisition and the Excess Refund Puzzle," PIER Working Paper Archive 05-015, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania. [Downloadable!]
Michael Ostrovsky & Michael Schwarz, 2008. "Information Disclosure and Unraveling in Matching Markets," NBER Working Papers 13766, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Jacques Cremer & Yossi Spiegel & Charles Z. Zheng, 2004. "Auctions with costly information acquisition Constrained Bidders," Discussion Papers 1420, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science. [Downloadable!]
James Andreoni & Yeon-Koo Che & Jinwoo Kim, 2005. "Asymmetric Information about Rivals’ Types in Standard Auctions: An Experiment," Levine's Bibliography 666156000000000474, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- James Andreoni & Yeon-Koo Che & Jinwoo Kim, 2006. "Asymmetric information about rivals' types in standard auctions: An experiment," Discussion Papers 0506-27, Columbia University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
- Andreoni,J. & Che,Y.-K. & Kim,J., 2006. "Asymmetric information about rivals' types in standard auctions : an experiment," Working papers 6, Wisconsin Madison - Social Systems. [Downloadable!]
- James Andreoni & Yeon-Koo Che & Jinwoo Kim, 2006. "Asymmetric Information about Rivals’ Types in Standard Auctions: An Experiment," Levine's Bibliography 321307000000000293, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
- Andreoni, James & Che, Yeon-Koo & Kim, Jinwoo, 2007. "Asymmetric information about rivals' types in standard auctions: An experiment," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 59(2), pages 240-259, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Angel Hernando-Veciana & Michael Tröge, 2005. "The Insider's Curse," Microeconomics 0503012, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Ángel Hernando Veciana & Michael Tröge, 2005. "The Insider'S Curse," Working Papers. Serie AD 2005-08, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie). [Downloadable!]
Hao Li, 2003. "Price Discrimination in Matching Markets," Theory workshop papers 505798000000000028, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Li, Hao & Damiano, Ettore, 2005. "Price Discrimination and Efficient Matching," Micro Theory Working Papers damiano-05-03-21-12-21-58, Microeconomics.ca Website, revised 22 Mar 2005. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Ettore Damiano & Hao Li, 2007. "Price discrimination and efficient matching," Economic Theory, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 243-263, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Vasiliki Skreta, 2005. "Revenue Equivalence for Arbitrary Type Spaces," UCLA Economics Online Papers 347, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Vasiliki Skreta, 2007. "On the Informed Seller Problem: Optimal Information Disclosure," Levine's Bibliography 122247000000001789, UCLA Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Thierry, FOUCAULT & Stefano, LOVO, 2003. "Linkage principle, Multi-dimensional Signals and Blind Auctions," Les Cahiers de Recherche 785, Groupe HEC. [Downloadable!]
CRÉMER, Jacques & SPIEGEL, Yossi & ZHENG, Charles, 2003. "Optimal Selling Mechanisms wth Costly Information Acquisition," IDEI Working Papers 205, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse. [Downloadable!]
Juan-José Ganuza & José S. Penalva Zuasti, 2005. "On Information And Competition In Private Value Auctions," Working Papers wp2005_0503, CEMFI. [Downloadable!]
Cremer, Jacques & Spiegel, Yossi & Zheng, Charles, 2006. "Optimal Search Auctions with Correlated Bidder Types," Staff General Research Papers 12663, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
Other versions:
- Cremer, Jacques & Spiegel, Yossi & Zheng, Charles Z., 2006. "Optimal search auctions with correlated bidder types," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 94-100, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)

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