When are signals complements or substitutes?
Abstract
The paper introduces a notion of complementarity (substitutability) of two signals which requires that in all decision problems each signal becomes more (less) valuable when the other signal becomes available. We provide a general characterization which relates complementarity and substitutability to a Blackwell-comparison of two auxiliary signals. In a special setting with a binary state space and binary, symmetric signals, we find an explicit characterization that permits an intuitive interpretation of complementarity and substitutability. We demonstrate how these conditions extend to the general case. Finally, we study implications of complementarity and substitutability for information acquisition and in a second price auction.Download Info
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Paper provided by Universidad Carlos III, Departamento de Economía in its series Economics Working Papers with number we072111.Length:
Date of creation: Mar 2007
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:cte:werepe:we072111
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Keywords:Other versions of this item:
- Börgers, Tilman & Hernando-Veciana, Angel & Krähmer, Daniel, 2013. "When are signals complements or substitutes?," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 148(1), pages 165-195.
- Börgers, Tilman & Hernando-Veciana, Angel & Krähmer, Daniel, 2010. "When are Signals Complements or Substitutes?," MPRA Paper 29124, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- Börgers, Tilman & Hernando-Veciana, Ángel & Krähmer, Daniel, . "When are signals complements or substitutes?," Open Access publications from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid info:hdl:10016/679, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
- Tilman Borgers & Angel Hernanco-Veciana & Daniel Krohmer, 2010. "When are Signals Complements or Substitutes," Discussion Papers 1488, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science.
- C00 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - General - - - General
- C44 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Operations Research; Statistical Decision Theory
- D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
- D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search, Learning, and Information
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2007-04-14 (All new papers)
References
References listed on IDEASPlease 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.:
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Citations
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- Sobel, Joel, 0. "On the relationship between individual and group decisions," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society.
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