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The multiple-volunteers principle

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  • Goldlücke, Susanne
  • Tröger, Thomas

Abstract

We present a class of simple transfer-free rules for assigning an unpleasant task among a group of agents: agents decide simultaneously whether or not to volunteer; if the number of volunteers exceeds a threshold number, the task is assigned to a volunteer; otherwise, the task is assigned to a non-volunteer. In particular, the rule may ask for multiple volunteers although one agent is sufficient to perform the task. In a setting in which agents care about who performs the task, any multiple-volunteers rule yields a strict interim Pareto improvement over random task assignment. Some volunteers rule is utilitarian optimal across all transfer-free binary mechanisms, and a rule with a large threshold reaches the first-best approximately if the group is large. Similar results hold for the problem of assigning a pleasant task. In that case, the task is assigned to a volunteer if and only if there are sufficiently few volunteers.

Suggested Citation

  • Goldlücke, Susanne & Tröger, Thomas, 2026. "The multiple-volunteers principle," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jetheo:v:231:y:2026:i:c:s0022053125001607
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jet.2025.106114
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    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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