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Real Investment Decisions Under Adjustment Costs and Asymmetric Information

Author

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  • Gérard Gaudet

    () (Economics Department, Université de Montréal)

  • Pierre Lasserre

    () (Economics Department, UQAM)

  • Ngo Van Long

    () (Economics Department, McGill University)

Abstract

We study the cost-of-adjustment model of investment when there is asymmetry of information between owners (the principal) and managers (the agent). Information asymmetry distorts the relationship between investment and the cost of capital for all agent types, and a regime of inaction appears over a certain cost range, in an observationnally different way than when fixed adjustment costs, or irreversibilities, cause a similar phenomenon. Uncertainty, in the form of an increase in the spread of agents' types, tends to reduce investment despite symmetric adjustment cost and perfect competition. The model gives a new interpretation of Tobin's q under asymmetric information, explaining some results of the mergers and acquisition literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Gérard Gaudet & Pierre Lasserre & Ngo Van Long, 1999. "Real Investment Decisions Under Adjustment Costs and Asymmetric Information," Cahiers de recherche du Département des sciences économiques, UQAM 9908, Université du Québec à Montréal, Département des sciences économiques.
    • Handle: RePEc:cre:uqamwp:9909
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Shibata, Takashi, 2009. "Investment timing, asymmetric information, and audit structure: A real options framework," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 903-921, April.
    2. Shibata, Takashi & Nishihara, Michi, 2010. "Dynamic investment and capital structure under manager-shareholder conflict," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 158-178, February.
    3. Claessens, Stijn & Ueda, Kenichi & Yafeh, Yishay, 2014. "Institutions and financial frictions: Estimating with structural restrictions on firm value and investment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 107-122.
    4. Yishay Yafeh & Kenichi Ueda & Stijn Claessens, 2010. "Investment and Institutions," 2010 Meeting Papers 513, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    5. Benchekroun, Hassan & van Long, Ngo, 1998. "Efficiency inducing taxation for polluting oligopolists," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 325-342, November.
    6. Jou, Jyh-Bang, 2004. "Environment, irreversibility and optimal effluent standards," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 48(1), March.
    7. Yishay Yafeh & Kenichi Ueda & Stijn Claessens, 2010. "Financial Frictions, Investment, and Institutions," IMF Working Papers 10/231, International Monetary Fund.
    8. Lee, Tan, 2004. "Determinants of the foreign equity share of international joint ventures," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 28(11), pages 2261-2275, October.
    9. Jyh-Bang Jou, 2001. "Environment, Asset Characteristics, and Optimal Effluent Fees," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 20(1), pages 27-39, September.
    10. Ngo Long, 2011. "Dynamic Games in the Economics of Natural Resources: A Survey," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 115-148, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Investment; information asymmetry; adjustment cost; mergers and acquisition;

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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