IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/transb/v172y2023icp71-92.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of asymmetric investment cost information on revenue-compensated build-operate-transfer highway contracts

Author

Listed:
  • Lu, Zhaoyang
  • Meng, Qiang

Abstract

In the planning stage of build-operate-transfer (BOT) highway projects, private firms usually possess more information about the investment cost than governments. This study considers the problem of how to design project contracts and regulate private firms whose investment costs are unobservable to governments. A principal-agent model is proposed to investigate this type of BOT contracts, in which governments aim to maximize social welfare, while the firms are guaranteed a reserved level of profit and have no incentive to misreport their costs. Besides, the extent to which the information asymmetries influence these contracts is examined, through an analysis of the effects of the distribution of marginal cost parameters and the shadow cost of public funds. Furthermore, properties of these contracts are discussed and compared with the revenue-compensated BOT contracts under symmetric cost information.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu, Zhaoyang & Meng, Qiang, 2023. "Effects of asymmetric investment cost information on revenue-compensated build-operate-transfer highway contracts," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 71-92.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transb:v:172:y:2023:i:c:p:71-92
    DOI: 10.1016/j.trb.2023.03.011
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191261523000553
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.trb.2023.03.011?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tan, Zhijia & Yang, Hai & Guo, Xiaolei, 2010. "Properties of Pareto-efficient contracts and regulations for road franchising," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 415-433, May.
    2. Martimort, David & Pouyet, Jerome, 2008. "To build or not to build: Normative and positive theories of public-private partnerships," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 393-411, March.
    3. Song, Jinbo & Zhao, Yunpeng & Jin, Lulu & Sun, Yan, 2018. "Pareto optimization of public-private partnership toll road contracts with government guarantees," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 158-175.
    4. Ubbels, Barry & Verhoef, Erik T., 2008. "Auctioning concessions for private roads," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 155-172, January.
    5. Tan, Zhijia & Yang, Hai, 2012. "Flexible build-operate-transfer contracts for road franchising under demand uncertainty," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 46(10), pages 1419-1439.
    6. Yang, Hai & Meng, Qiang, 2000. "Highway pricing and capacity choice in a road network under a build-operate-transfer scheme," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 207-222, April.
    7. Wang, Shuaian & Meng, Qiang & Liu, Zhiyuan, 2013. "Fundamental properties of volume–capacity ratio of a private toll road in general networks," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 77-86.
    8. Verhoef, Erik T., 2007. "Second-best road pricing through highway franchising," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(2), pages 337-361, September.
    9. Ferrari, Paolo, 2002. "Road network toll pricing and social welfare," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 471-483, June.
    10. Lu, Zhaoyang & Meng, Qiang, 2018. "Impacts of pavement deterioration and maintenance cost on Pareto-efficient contracts for highway franchising," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-21.
    11. Feng, Zhuo & Zhang, Shui-Bo & Gao, Ying, 2015. "Modeling the impact of government guarantees on toll charge, road quality and capacity for Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) road projects," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 54-67.
    12. Auriol, Emmanuelle & Picard, Pierre M., 2013. "A theory of BOT concession contracts," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 187-209.
    13. Baron, David P & Myerson, Roger B, 1982. "Regulating a Monopolist with Unknown Costs," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(4), pages 911-930, July.
    14. Eduardo M. R. A. Engel & Ronald D. Fischer & Alexander Galetovic, 2001. "Least-Present-Value-of-Revenue Auctions and Highway Franchising," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 109(5), pages 993-1020, October.
    15. Xiao, Feng & Yang, Hai & Han, Deren, 2007. "Competition and efficiency of private toll roads," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 292-308, March.
    16. Yang, Hai & Meng, Qiang, 2002. "A note on "highway pricing and capacity choice in a road network under a build-operate-transfer scheme"," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 659-663, August.
    17. Song, Jinbo & Jin, Lulu & Zhao, Yunpeng & Hu, Wenjin, 2017. "Using bargaining-game model to negotiate compensation for the early termination of BOT highway projects," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 197-209.
    18. Zhi-Chun Li & Dian Sheng, 2014. "Pavement rehabilitation scheduling and toll pricing under different regulatory regimes," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 217(1), pages 337-355, June.
    19. Milgrom, Paul R, 1981. "Rational Expectations, Information Acquisition, and Competitive Bidding," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(4), pages 921-943, June.
    20. Wang, Grace W.Y. & Pallis, Athanasios A., 2014. "Incentive approaches to overcome moral hazard in port concession agreements," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 162-174.
    21. Wu, Di & Yin, Yafeng & Yang, Hai, 2011. "The independence of volume-capacity ratio of private toll roads in general networks," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 96-101, January.
    22. Eduardo Engel & Ronald Fischer & Alexander Galetovic, 2002. "Privatizing Roads: an "Old" New Approach to Infrastructure Provision," Documentos de Trabajo 132, Centro de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Chile.
    23. Qiu, Larry D. & Wang, Susheng, 2011. "BOT projects: Incentives and efficiency," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 127-138, January.
    24. Eric Maskin & John G. Riley, 1986. "Existence and Uniqueness of Equilibrium in Sealed High Bid Auctions," UCLA Economics Working Papers 407, UCLA Department of Economics.
    25. Jean-Jacques Laffont & Jean Tirole, 1993. "A Theory of Incentives in Procurement and Regulation," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262121743, December.
    26. Feng, Zhuo & Zhang, Shui-Bo & Gao, Ying & Zhang, Shuai-Jun, 2016. "Subsidizing and pricing private toll roads with noncontractible service quality: A relational contract approach," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 466-491.
    27. Chen, Anthony & Subprasom, Kitti, 2007. "Analysis of regulation and policy of private toll roads in a build-operate-transfer scheme under demand uncertainty," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 537-558, July.
    28. Meng, Qiang & Lu, Zhaoyang, 2017. "Quantitative analyses of highway franchising under build-operate-transfer scheme: Critical review and future research directions," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 105-123.
    29. Wang, Yinglin & Gao, Huaizhu Oliver & Liu, Jicai, 2019. "Incentive game of investor speculation in PPP highway projects based on the government minimum revenue guarantee," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 20-34.
    30. Lu, Zhaoyang & Meng, Qiang, 2017. "Analysis of optimal BOT highway capacity and economic toll adjustment provisions under traffic demand uncertainty," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 17-37.
    31. de Palma, André & Kilani, Moez & Lindsey, Robin, 2007. "Maintenance, service quality and congestion pricing with competing roads," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 41(5), pages 573-591, June.
    32. A. Michael Spence, 1975. "Monopoly, Quality, and Regulation," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 6(2), pages 417-429, Autumn.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Meng, Qiang & Lu, Zhaoyang, 2017. "Quantitative analyses of highway franchising under build-operate-transfer scheme: Critical review and future research directions," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 105-123.
    2. Shi, Shasha & Yin, Yafeng & An, Qingxian & Chen, Ke, 2021. "Optimal build-operate-transfer road contracts under information asymmetry and uncertainty," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 65-86.
    3. Zhang, Yiwen & Feng, Zhuo & Zhang, Shuibo & Song, Jinbo, 2018. "The effects of service level on BOT transport project contract," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 184-206.
    4. Wang, Wei (Walker) & Jin, Xi & Tan, Zhijia & Sun, Huijun & Wu, Jianjun, 2022. "Modeling the effects of government subsidy and regulation on BOT transport project contract design within contractible service quality," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    5. Hoang-Tung, Nguyen & Viet Hung, Do & Kato, Hironori & Binh, Phan Le, 2021. "Modeling ceiling price for build-operate-transfer road projects in developing countries," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    6. Yin, Yafeng & Guo, Xiaolei, 2016. "Optimal choice of capacity, toll and government guarantee for build-operate-transfer roads under asymmetric cost informationAuthor-Name: Shi, Shasha," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 56-69.
    7. Feng, Zhuo & Song, Jinbo & Yang, Xiaoxing & Guo, Ran, 2023. "Contractual flexibility, firm effort, and subsidy design: A comparison of PPP project contracts," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 307(1), pages 484-496.
    8. Wang, Fan & Xiong, Minghua & Niu, Baozhuang & Zhuo, Xiaopo, 2018. "Impact of government subsidy on BOT contract design: Price, demand, and concession period," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 137-159.
    9. Zhang, Yiwen & Feng, Zhuo & Zhang, Shuibo, 2018. "The effects of concession period structures on BOT road contracts," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 106-125.
    10. Tan, Zhijia & Yang, Hai, 2012. "Flexible build-operate-transfer contracts for road franchising under demand uncertainty," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 46(10), pages 1419-1439.
    11. Feng, Zhuo & Zhang, Shui-Bo & Gao, Ying & Zhang, Shuai-Jun, 2016. "Subsidizing and pricing private toll roads with noncontractible service quality: A relational contract approach," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 466-491.
    12. Zhao, Yunpeng & Song, Jinbo & Feng, Zhuo & Jin, Lulu, 2023. "Incentive contracts with demand guarantee in BOT toll road projects," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    13. Shi, Shasha & An, Qingxian & Chen, Ke, 2020. "Optimal choice of capacity, toll, and subsidy for build-operate-transfer roads with a paid minimum traffic guarantee," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 228-254.
    14. Li, Shuai & Cai, Jiannan & Feng, Zhuo & Xu, Yifang & Cai, Hubo, 2019. "Government contracting with monopoly in infrastructure provision: Regulation or deregulation?," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 506-523.
    15. Feng, Zhuo & Zhang, Yiwen & Zhang, Shuibo & Song, Jinbo, 2018. "Contracting and renegotiating with a loss-averse private firm in BOT road projects," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 40-72.
    16. Lu, Zhaoyang & Meng, Qiang, 2017. "Analysis of optimal BOT highway capacity and economic toll adjustment provisions under traffic demand uncertainty," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 17-37.
    17. Chen, Zhiyuan & Ye, Hanrui & Liu, Bingxi & Xue, Weili, 2021. "Analysis of road capacity and franchise price decision delegation in toll road BOT project," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    18. Lu, Zhaoyang & Meng, Qiang, 2018. "Impacts of pavement deterioration and maintenance cost on Pareto-efficient contracts for highway franchising," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-21.
    19. Niu, Baozhuang & Zhang, Jie, 2013. "Price, capacity and concession period decisions of Pareto-efficient BOT contracts with demand uncertainty," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1-14.
    20. Chen, Zhiyuan & Sun, Shaobo & Li, Jianbin & Zhang, Langlang & Fan, Hao, 2022. "Optimal BOT contracts in a two-road transportation network," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:transb:v:172:y:2023:i:c:p:71-92. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/548/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.