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The organization of expertise in the presence of communication

Author

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  • Flavia Roldán

    (Universidad ORT Uruguay. Facultad de Administración y Ciencias Sociales. Departmento de Economía / Universidad de Navarra. IESE Business Schooll. Public-Private Sector Research Center)

Abstract

Principal decision-makers are sometimes obliged to rely on multiple sources of information when drawing conclusions about the desirability of given actions in response to decisions they face. They may hire specialized agents to inform their decisions. Principals have authority both to allow communication among agents of information and to prevent information-sharing. I assume that communication facilitates the emergence of some complementarities among agents, but it may also promote collusion. I study the optimal design of contracts focusing on how to sequence communication of expertise. I show that from a principal’s point of view, when the advantages of allowing communication dominate, communication is more effective before effort choices are made rather than after.

Suggested Citation

  • Flavia Roldán, 2012. "The organization of expertise in the presence of communication," Documentos de Investigación 81, Universidad ORT Uruguay. Facultad de Administración y Ciencias Sociales.
    • Handle: RePEc:avs:wpaper:81
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    information acquisition; communication; collusion; expertise; organization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • L23 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Organization of Production

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