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Overcoming Contractual Incompleteness: The Role of Guiding Principles

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  • David Frydlinger
  • Oliver D. Hart

Abstract

We consider a buyer and seller who contract over a service. The contract encourages investment and provides a reference point for the transaction. In normal times the contract works well. But with some probability an abnormal state occurs and the service must be modified. The parties expect each other to behave “reasonably”, but given self-serving biases their views of reasonableness may not coincide, leading to aggrievement and deadweight losses. The adoption by the parties of guiding principles such as loyalty and equity in their contract can help. We provide supporting evidence in the form of case studies and interviews.

Suggested Citation

  • David Frydlinger & Oliver D. Hart, 2019. "Overcoming Contractual Incompleteness: The Role of Guiding Principles," NBER Working Papers 26245, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:26245
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    Cited by:

    1. Eleonora Broccardo & Oliver D. Hart & Luigi Zingales, 2020. "Exit vs. Voice," NBER Working Papers 27710, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Luís Valadares Tavares & Pedro Arruda, 2022. "Public contracting of home respiratory care services through an electronic quasi‐market model," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(6), pages 3344-3356, November.
    3. Benito Arruñada, 2021. "La seguridad jurídica en España. Documento de discusión (versión revisada y comentada)," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2021-18, FEDEA.
    4. Safieddine Bouali, 2020. "Covid-19 Pandemic and Abuse of Economic Dependence. Short-run Market Vulnerability and Exploitative conduct [Pandémie Covid-19 et abus de dépendance économique. Vulnérabilité du marché à court term," Working Papers hal-02564678, HAL.
    5. Broccardo, Eleonora & Hart, Oliver D. & Zingales, Luigi, 2021. "Exit vs. Voice," Working Papers 302, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.
    6. Benito Arruñada, 2020. "La seguridad jurídica en España," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2020-26, FEDEA.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • D86 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Economics of Contract Law
    • K12 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Contract Law

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