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Price-quality trade-off in procurement auctions with an uncertain quality threshold

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  • Yao, Ying
  • Tanaka, Makoto

Abstract

Procuring high-quality goods at reasonable prices is a critical public sector concern. Yet, procurers often do not advertise clear weighting rules for price and quality but set a flexible quality threshold upon participation. This paper studies endogenous entry and bidding behavior in such procurement auctions. Using unique data on pharmaceutical procurement in Guangdong, China, we find that a high-quality index acts as a signal of high production costs. We also observe that high-quality bidders are more likely to withdraw from bidding because of their prior commitment to quality. The procurers who use quality indicators in price auctions need a carefully considered quality threshold. Our results have important implications for price-quality trade-offs in procurements that have uncertain quality thresholds.

Suggested Citation

  • Yao, Ying & Tanaka, Makoto, 2020. "Price-quality trade-off in procurement auctions with an uncertain quality threshold," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 56-70.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:177:y:2020:i:c:p:56-70
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2020.06.005
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    Cited by:

    1. Nakanishi, Yoshinobu, 2022. "Determinants of the number of bidders and win-reserve ratio in open competitive tendering: Relationship-specific investments and incomplete contracts," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    2. Eloy Gil-Cordero & Francisco Javier Rondán-Cataluña & Daniel Sigüenza-Morales, 2020. "Private Label and Macroeconomic Indicators: Europe and USA," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-17, November.
    3. He, Chusu & Milne, Alistair & Ataullah, Ali, 2023. "What explains delays in public procurement decisions?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Quality evaluation; Quality threshold; Pharmaceutical procurement;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H57 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Procurement
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General

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