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To commit or not to commit: Endogenous timing in experimental duopoly markets

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Author Info
Steffen Huck (Humboldt-University Berlin)
Wieland Müller (Humboldt-University Berlin)
Hans-Theo Normann (Humboldt-University Berlin)

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Abstract

In this paper, we experimentally investigate the extended game with action commitment of Hamilton and Slutsky (1990). In their duopoly game, firms can choose their quantities in one of two periods before the market clears. If a firm commits to a quantity in period 1 it does not know whether the other firm also commits early. By waiting until period 2, a firm can observe the other firm's period 1 action. Hamilton and Slutsky predict the emergence of endogenous Stackelberg leadership. Our data, however, does not confirm the theory. While Stackelberg equilibria are extremely rare we often observe endogenous Cournot outcomes and sometimes collusive play. This is partly driven by the fact that endogenous Stackelberg followers learn to behave in a reciprocal fashion over time, i.e., they learn to reward cooperation and to punish exploitation.

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Paper provided by EconWPA in its series Experimental with number 9906002.

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Length: 23 pages
Date of creation: 15 Jun 1999
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Handle: RePEc:wpa:wuwpex:9906002

Note: Type of Document - pdf; prepared on IBM PC; to print on PostScript; pages: 23 ; figures: included
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Related research
Keywords: duoploly; endogenous timing; experimental economics;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure and Pricing - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection

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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. Eric van Damme & Sjaak Hurkens, 1996. "Endogenous Stackelberg Leadership," Economics Working Papers 190, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. John C. Harsanyi & Reinhard Selten, 1988. "A General Theory of Equilibrium Selection in Games," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262582384.
  3. Reinhard Selten & Michael Mitzkewitz & Gerald R. Uhlich, 1997. "Duopoly Strategies Programmed by Experienced Players," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(3), pages 517-556, May.
    Other versions:
  4. Huck, Steffen & Muller, Wieland & Normann, Hans-Theo, 2001. "Stackelberg Beats Cournot: On Collusion and Efficiency in Experimental Markets," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 111(474), pages 749-65, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  5. Hamilton, Jonathan H. & Slutsky, Steven M., 1990. "Endogenous timing in duopoly games: Stackelberg or cournot equilibria," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 29-46, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  6. Mailath George J., 1993. "Endogenous Sequencing of Firm Decisions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 169-182, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Saloner, Garth, 1987. "Cournot duopoly with two production periods," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 183-187, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Robson, Arthur J, 1990. "Stackelberg and Marshall," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(1), pages 69-82, March.
  9. Holt, Charles A, 1985. "An Experimental Test of the Consistent-Conjectures Hypothesis," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 75(3), pages 314-25, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Simon, Leo K & Stinchcombe, Maxwell B, 1995. "Equilibrium Refinement for Infinite Normal-Form Games," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 63(6), pages 1421-43, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Hans-Theo Normann, 1997. "Endogenous Stackelberg equilibria with incomplete information," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 66(2), pages 177-187, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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.)

  1. Miguel Fonseca & Wieland Müller & Hans-Theo Normann, 2006. "Endogenous timing in duopoly: experimental evidence," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 443-456, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Daniele Nosenzo & Martin Sefton, 2009. "Endogenous Move Structure And Voluntary Provision Of Public Goods: Theory And Experiment," Discussion Papers 2009-09, The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham. [Downloadable!]
  3. Emrah Arbak & Marie-Claire Villeval, 2007. "Endogenous Leadership Selection and Influence," Working Papers 0707, Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique (GATE), Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Université Lyon 2, Ecole Normale Supérieure. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Dirk Engelmann & Hans-Theo Normann, 2003. "An Experimental Test of Strategic Trade Policy," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp212, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economic Institute, Prague. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Potters, J.J.M. & Shefton, M. & Vesterlund, L., 2003. "After you - endougenous sequencing in voluntary contribution games," Discussion Paper 98, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Muller, W., 2003. "Allowing for two production periods in the cournot duopoly: experimental evidence," Discussion Paper 42, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Andreas Nicklisch, 2008. "Inequity Aversion, Reciprocity, and Appropriateness in the Ultimatum-Revenge Game," Working Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2008_24, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods. [Downloadable!]
  8. Shakun Datta Mago & Emmanuel Dechenaux, 2009. "Price leadership and firm size asymmetry: an experimental analysis," Experimental Economics, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 289-317, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Leufkens, Kasper & Peeters, Ronald, 2008. "Price dynamics and collusion under short-run price commitments," Research Memoranda 052, Maastricht : METEOR, Maastricht Research School of Economics of Technology and Organization. [Downloadable!]
  10. Santos-Pinto, Luís, 2006. "Making Sense of the Experimental Evidence on Endogenous Timing in Duopoly Markets," MPRA Paper 3142, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 27 Apr 2007. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  11. TESORIERE, Antonio, 2006. "Endogenous timing with free entry," CORE Discussion Papers 2006093, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE). [Downloadable!]
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