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simultaneous search

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Author Info
lones smith
hector chade

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Abstract

We introduce and solve a new class of static portfolio choice problems, where only the best realized alternative matters. A decision maker must simultaneously choose among independent ranked options, and the better alternatives have a lower chance of panning out. Each choice is costly, and just one option may be exercised. This often emerges in practice: (i) A student must make a costly and simultaneous application to many colleges, and is accepted with smaller chances by the better schools. (ii) An economics department must decide which of several PhD job candidates to fly out, and the better recruits will be available with smaller probability. We show that this problem entails maximizing a submodular function of finite sets --- which is NP hard in general. Still, we develop a marginal improvement algorithm that produces the optimal set in a quadratic number of steps. Applying it, we then show that the optimal choices are less risky than the sequentially optimal ones in Weitzman (1979), but riskier than the best singleton college choices. We also give practical rules of thumb, such as: (i) don't insure, choosing a safety school; instead, take risks; (ii) apply to an upwardly diverse portfolio of schools

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Econometric Society in its series Econometric Society 2004 North American Summer Meetings with number 64.

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Date of creation: 11 Aug 2004
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Handle: RePEc:ecm:nasm04:64

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Related research
Keywords: search; submodular function;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
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.:

  1. Kenneth Burdett & Shouyong Shi & Randall Wright, 2001. "Pricing and Matching with Frictions," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 109(5), pages 1060-1085, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Weitzman, Martin L, 1979. "Optimal Search for the Best Alternative," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 47(3), pages 641-54, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Burdett, Kenneth & Judd, Kenneth L, 1983. "Equilibrium Price Dispersion," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(4), pages 955-69, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Milgrom, Paul & Shannon, Chris, 1994. "Monotone Comparative Statics," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 62(1), pages 157-80, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  5. Gul, Faruk & Stacchetti, Ennio, 1999. "Walrasian Equilibrium with Gross Substitutes," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 95-124, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. James Albrecht & Pieter A. Gautier & Susan Vroman, 2006. "Equilibrium Directed Search with Multiple Applications," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 73(4), pages 869-891, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. Hector Chade & Lones Smith, 2005. "Simultaneous Search," NajEcon Working Paper Reviews 172782000000000033, www.najecon.org. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Kelso, Alexander S, Jr & Crawford, Vincent P, 1982. "Job Matching, Coalition Formation, and Gross Substitutes," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(6), pages 1483-1504, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. George J. Stigler, 1961. "The Economics of Information," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 69, pages 213. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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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.)

  1. Pieter A. Gautier & José Luis Moraga-González & Ronald P. Wolthoff, 2007. "Structural Estimation of Search Intensity: Do Non-Employed Workers Search Enough?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 07-071/3, Tinbergen Institute. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Pieter A. Gautier & Ronald P. Wolthoff, 2006. "Simultaneous Search with Heterogeneous Firms and Ex Post Competition," IZA Discussion Papers 2056, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Alexey Kushnir, 2009. "Matching Markets with Signals," Working Papers 2009.39, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
  4. Manolis Galenianos & Philipp A. Kircher, 2005. "Directed Search with Multiple Job Applications," Bonn Econ Discussion Papers bgse20_2005, University of Bonn, Germany. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Hector Chade & Lones Smith, 2006. "Simultaneous Search," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1556, Cowles Foundation, Yale University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Robin S. Lee & Michael Schwarz, 2009. "Interviewing in Two-Sided Matching Markets," NBER Working Papers 14922, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Philipp Kircher, 2008. "Efficiency of Simultaneous Search," PIER Working Paper Archive 08-004, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania. [Downloadable!]
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