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Two-sided reputation in certification markets

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  • Matthieu Bouvard
  • Raphael Levy

Abstract

In a market where sellers solicit certication to overcome adverse selection, we show that the profit of a monopolistic certifier is hump-shaped in his reputation for accuracy: a higher accuracy attracts high-quality sellers but sometimes repels low-quality sellers. As a consequence, reputational concerns may induce the certifier to reduce information quality, thus depressing welfare. The entry of another certifier impacts reputational incentives: when sellers can only solicit one certifier, competition plays a disciplining role and the region where reputation is bad shrinks. Conversely, this region expands when sellers can hold multiple certifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthieu Bouvard & Raphael Levy, 2013. "Two-sided reputation in certification markets," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 339, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
  • Handle: RePEc:cca:wpaper:339
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    4. Bingyou Chen & Yu Luo & Jieni Li & Yujian Li & Ying Liu & Fan Yang & Junge Bo & Yanan Qiao, 2023. "Blockchain-based Decentralized Co-governance: Innovations and Solutions for Sustainable Crowdfunding," Papers 2306.00869, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2023.
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    6. Jeon, Doh-Shin & Lovo, Stefano, 2013. "Credit rating industry: A helicopter tour of stylized facts and recent theories," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 643-651.
    7. Joel Shapiro & David Skeie, 2015. "Information Management in Banking Crises," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 28(8), pages 2322-2363.
    8. Fischer, Thomas, 2015. "Market structure and rating strategies in credit rating markets – A dynamic model with matching of heterogeneous bond issuers and rating agencies," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 39-56.
    9. Florian Kiesel, 2021. "It's the tone, stupid! Soft information in credit rating reports and financial markets," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 44(3), pages 553-585, September.
    10. Sivan Frenkel, 2015. "Repeated Interaction and Rating Inflation: A Model of Double Reputation," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(1), pages 250-280, February.
    11. Ascensión Andina-Díaz, 2015. "Competition and uncertainty in a paper’s news desk," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 77-93, September.
    12. Eraslan, Hulya & Ozerturk, Saltuk, 2017. "Information Gatekeeping and Media Bias," Working Papers 17-001, Rice University, Department of Economics.
    13. Kisgen, Darren J. & Nickerson, Jordan & Osborn, Matthew & Reuter, Jonathan, 2020. "Analyst Promotions within Credit Rating Agencies: Accuracy or Bias?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(3), pages 869-896, May.
    14. Bar-Isaac, Heski & Deb, Joyee, 2014. "What is a good reputation? Career concerns with heterogeneous audiences," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 44-50.
    15. Baghai, Ramin P. & Becker, Bo, 2020. "Reputations and credit ratings: Evidence from commercial mortgage-backed securities," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(2), pages 425-444.
    16. Hoppe-Wewetzer, Heidrun C. & Siemering, Christian, 2020. "Advertisement-Financed Credit Ratings," CEPR Discussion Papers 14735, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    17. Terovitis, Spyros, 2022. "Information disclosure and the feedback effect in capital markets," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    18. Farkas, Miklós, 2021. "Competition, communication and rating bias," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 637-656.
    19. Wenming Xu & Yan Liu, 2021. "Does reputational capital affect credit rating agencies?: empirical evidence from a natural experiment in China," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 433-468, June.
    20. Tao Wang, 2023. "A Study on the Choice of Online Marketplace Co-Opetition Strategy Considering the Promotional Behavior of a Store on an E-Commerce Platform," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-16, May.
    21. Heidrun Hoppe-Wewetzer & Christian Siemering, 2022. "Advertisement-financed credit ratings," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 46(1), pages 188-206, January.
    22. Hulya Eraslan & Saltuk Ozerturk, 2018. "Information Gatekeeping and Media Bias," Koç University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum Working Papers 1808, Koc University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    reputation; certification; multihoming;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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