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Collective Choice in Dynamic Public Good Provision

Author

Listed:
  • T. Renee Bowen
  • George Georgiadis
  • Nicolas S. Lambert

Abstract

Two heterogeneous agents contribute over time to a joint project and collectively decide its scale. A larger scale requires greater cumulative effort and delivers higher benefits upon completion. We show that the efficient agent prefers a smaller scale, and preferences are time-inconsistent: as the project progresses, the efficient (inefficient) agent's preferred scale shrinks (expands). We characterize the equilibrium outcomes under dictatorship and unanimity, with and without commitment. We find that an agent's degree of efficiency is a key determinant of control over the project scale. From a welfare perspective, it may be desirable to allocate decision rights to the inefficient agent.

Suggested Citation

  • T. Renee Bowen & George Georgiadis & Nicolas S. Lambert, 2019. "Collective Choice in Dynamic Public Good Provision," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(1), pages 243-298, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:11:y:2019:i:1:p:243-98
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/mic.20170217
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    Cited by:

    1. Georgiadis, George, 2017. "Deadlines and infrequent monitoring in the dynamic provision of public goods," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 1-12.
    2. Yildirim, Huseyin, 2025. "The economics of career concerns in teamwork," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    3. Sebastien Rouillon, 2018. "Noncooperative Dynamic Contribution to a Public Project," International Game Theory Review (IGTR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(03), pages 1-24, September.
    4. Subhra K. Bhattacharya, 2024. "Valuation asymmetry in the dynamic private provision of public goods," Economic Theory Bulletin, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 12(1), pages 25-46, June.
    5. Huseyin Yildirim, 2023. "Who fares better in teamwork?," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 54(2), pages 299-324, June.
    6. Ozerturk, Saltuk & Yildirim, Huseyin, 2021. "Credit attribution and collaborative work," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    7. Harstad, Bård & Kessler, Anke S., 2025. "Present bias in politics and self-committing treaties," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    8. Colombo, Luca & Labrecciosa, Paola & Long, Ngo Van, 2019. "A Dynamic Analysis of Climate Change Mitigation with Endogenous Number of Contributors: Loose vs Tight Cooperation," Discussion paper series HIAS-E-92, Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study, Hitotsubashi University.
    9. Colombo, Luca & Labrecciosa, Paola & Van Long, Ngo, 2022. "A dynamic analysis of international environmental agreements under partial cooperation," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games
    • D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations
    • H43 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Project Evaluation; Social Discount Rate

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