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Tilting the Supply Schedule to Enhance Competition in Uniform-Price Auctions

Author

Listed:
  • Marco LiCalzi

    (Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Venice)

  • Alessandro Pavan

    (Department of Economics, Northwestern University)

Abstract

Uniform-price auctions of a divisible good in fixed supply admit underpricing equilibria, where bidders submit high inframarginal bids to prevent competition on prices. The seller can obstruct this behavior by tilting her supply schedule and making the amount of divisible good on offer change endogenously with its (uniform) price. Precommitting to an increasing supply curve is a strategic instrument to reward aggressive bidding and enhance expected revenue. A fixed supply may not be optimal even when accounting for the cost to the seller of issuing a quantity different from her target supply.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco LiCalzi & Alessandro Pavan, 2003. "Tilting the Supply Schedule to Enhance Competition in Uniform-Price Auctions," Working Papers 2003.22, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    • Handle: RePEc:fem:femwpa:2003.22
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Uniform-price auction; divisible good; strategic role of the seller; endogenous supply; Treasury and IPO auctions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

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