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Multidimensional Private Value Auctions

In: Robust Mechanism Design The Role of Private Information and Higher Order Beliefs

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  • Hanming Fang
  • Stephen Morris

Abstract

We consider parametric examples of symmetric two-bidder private value auctions in which each bidder observes her own private valuation as well as noisy signals about her opponent’s private valuation. We show that, in such environments, the revenue equivalence between the first and second price auctions (SPAs) breaks down and there is no definite revenue ranking; while the SPA is always efficient allocatively, the first price auction (FPA) may be inefficient; equilibria may fail to exist for the FPA. We also show that auction mechanisms provide different incentives for bidders to acquire costly information about opponents’ valuation. ©2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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  • Hanming Fang & Stephen Morris, 2012. "Multidimensional Private Value Auctions," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Robust Mechanism Design The Role of Private Information and Higher Order Beliefs, chapter 9, pages 319-356, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:wschap:9789814374590_0009
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mechanism Design; Game Theory; Auction Theory; Implementation; Private Information; First and Higher-Order Belief; BayesNash Equilibrium; Ex Post Equilibrium; Rationalizability; Vickrey-Clarke-Groves Mechanisms; Private Value; Interdependent Value; Common Value; Belief-Free Mechanisms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C70 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - General
    • D0 - Microeconomics - - General

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