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VCG mechanism for multi-unit auctions and appearance of information: a subject experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Satoshi Takahashi

    (The University of Electro-Communications)

  • Yoichi Izunaga

    (Kanagawa University)

  • Naoki Watanabe

    (Keio University)

Abstract

This paper investigates whether, in multi-unit auctions, different types of appearance of information associated with bidding generate different levels of allocative efficiency and sellers’ revenue when the VCG mechanism is applied to human subject experiments of those auctions. We examine two types of appearance of information about bidders’ valuations of the item given to them and the bids they are asked to submit: One type is unit valuations and the unit bids themselves and the other type is unit valuations and the unit bids multiplied by the number of units. We observed that there was no significant difference on average in either allocative efficiency or the seller’s revenue between these two types of appearance of information. Rather, for each appearance of information, there was a significant difference in subjects’ bidding behavior between different display types of draws of unit valuations. This behavioral difference, however, did not significantly affect allocative efficiency. The performance of the VCG mechanism is robust against display types of those draws as well as against types of appearance of information.

Suggested Citation

  • Satoshi Takahashi & Yoichi Izunaga & Naoki Watanabe, 2019. "VCG mechanism for multi-unit auctions and appearance of information: a subject experiment," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 357-374, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eaiere:v:16:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s40844-019-00129-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s40844-019-00129-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Paul Klemperer, 2002. "What Really Matters in Auction Design," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 16(1), pages 169-189, Winter.
    2. Kagel, John H & Levin, Dan, 2001. "Behavior in Multi-unit Demand Auctions: Experiments with Uniform Price and Dynamic Vickrey Auctions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 69(2), pages 413-454, March.
    3. Dirk Engelmann & Veronika Grimm, 2009. "Bidding Behaviour in Multi‐Unit Auctions – An Experimental Investigation," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(537), pages 855-882, April.
    4. Chen, Yan & Takeuchi, Kan, 2010. "Multi-object auctions with package bidding: An experimental comparison of Vickrey and iBEA," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 557-579, March.
    5. Satoshi Takahashi & Yoichi Izunaga & Naoki Watanabe, 2018. "An approximation algorithm for multi-unit auctions: numerical and subject experiments," Operations Research and Decisions, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Management, vol. 28(1), pages 95-115.
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    Cited by:

    1. Satoshi Takahashi & Yoichi Izunaga & Naoki Watanabe, 2022. "An experimental study of VCG mechanism for multi-unit auctions: competing with machine bidders," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 97-117, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Multi-unit auction; VCG mechanism; Subject experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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