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Preferential treatment in procurement auctions through information revelation

Author

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  • Colucci, Domenico
  • Doni, Nicola
  • Valori, Vincenzo

Abstract

We study a model of procurement auctions in which information policies can be used to treat two heterogeneous suppliers asymmetrically. The buyer is shown to be better off revealing information about her preferences to the weak supplier only, when there is a sufficient cost difference between the weak and the strong. Conversely, when the two competitors have similar cost structures, for the buyer it is best to disclose her preferences publicly.

Suggested Citation

  • Colucci, Domenico & Doni, Nicola & Valori, Vincenzo, 2012. "Preferential treatment in procurement auctions through information revelation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 117(3), pages 883-886.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:117:y:2012:i:3:p:883-886
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2012.07.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Li, Huagang & Riley, John G., 2007. "Auction choice," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 1269-1298, December.
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    8. Todd Kaplan & Shmuel Zamir, 2012. "Asymmetric first-price auctions with uniform distributions: analytic solutions to the general case," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 50(2), pages 269-302, June.
    9. Michael H. Rothkopf & Ronald M. Harstad & Yuhong Fu, 2003. "Is Subsidizing Inefficient Bidders Actually Costly?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(1), pages 71-84, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Domenico Colucci & Nicola Doni & Vincenzo Valori, 2012. "Information revelation in procurement auctions: an equivalence result," Working Papers - Mathematical Economics 2012-07, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    2. Tunay I. Tunca & D. J. Wu & Fang (Vivian) Zhong, 2014. "An Empirical Analysis of Price, Quality, and Incumbency in Procurement Auctions," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 16(3), pages 346-364, July.
    3. Qian, Cheng & Anderson, Edward, 2020. "Buyer’s optimal information revelation strategy in procurement auctions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 283(3), pages 1011-1025.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Procurement; Information revelation; Discriminatory policy; Asymmetric auctions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • H57 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Procurement

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