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Delegation and Information Revelation

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  • Axel Gautier
  • Dimitri Paolini

Abstract

This paper analyzes, in a setup where only the control over actions is contractible, the rationale for delegation. An organization must take two decisions. The payoffs are affected by a random parameter, and only the agent knows its realization. If the principal delegates the control over the first decision tothe agent, his choice may indicate the information that he possesses. If the principal retains control over the second decision, discovering this information is valuable. Hence, this paper provides a new rationale for delegation: A transfer of control to the informed party can be used to discover private information.

Suggested Citation

  • Axel Gautier & Dimitri Paolini, 2007. "Delegation and Information Revelation," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 163(4), pages 574-597, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:mhr:jinste:urn:sici:0932-4569(200712)163:4_574:dair_2.0.tx_2-g
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    Cited by:

    1. Krahmer, Daniel, 2006. "Message-contingent delegation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 60(4), pages 490-506, August.
    2. Tigran Melkonyan, 2014. "Decentralization, Incentive Contracts and the Effect of Distortions in Performance Measures," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 82(6), pages 631-652, December.
    3. Axel Gautier & Dimitri Paolini, 2009. "Delegation, externalities and organizational design," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 29(4), pages 2683-2692.
    4. D. Paul Newman & Kirill E. Novoselov, 2009. "Delegation to Encourage Communication of Problems," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 911-942, September.
    5. Alonso, Ricardo, 2009. "Strategic control and strategic communication," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 58682, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. John S. Heywood & Zheng Wang, 2016. "Strategic delegation under spatial price discrimination," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 95, pages 193-213, March.
    7. Yankuo Qiao, 2023. "To delegate or not to delegate? On the quality of voluntary corporate financial disclosure," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(7), pages 2215-2250, October.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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