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Endogenous groups and dynamic selection in mechanism design

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  • Madeira, Gabriel A.
  • Townsend, Robert M.

Abstract

We create a dynamic theory of endogenous risk sharing groups, with good internal information, and their coexistence with relative performance, individualistic regimes, which are informationally more opaque. Inequality and organizational form are determined simultaneously. Numerical techniques and succinct reformulations of mechanism design problems with suitable choice of promised utilities allow the computation of a stochastic steady state and its transitions. Regions of low inequality and moderate to high wealth (utility promises) produce the relative performance regime, while regions of high inequality and low wealth produce the risk sharing group regime. If there is a cost to prevent coalitions, risk sharing groups emerge at high wealth levels also. Transitions from the relative performance regime to the group regime tend to occur when rewards to observed outputs exacerbate inequality, while transitions from the group regime to the relative performance regime tend to come with a decrease in utility promises. Some regions of inequality and wealth deliver long term persistence of organization form and inequality, while other regions deliver high levels of volatility.

Suggested Citation

  • Madeira, Gabriel A. & Townsend, Robert M., 2008. "Endogenous groups and dynamic selection in mechanism design," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 142(1), pages 259-293, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jetheo:v:142:y:2008:i:1:p:259-293
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    1. Weerachart T. Kilenthong & Gabriel A. Madeira, 2017. "Observability and endogenous organizations," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 63(3), pages 587-619, March.
    2. Weerachart T. Kilenthong & Gabriel A. Madeira, 2017. "Observability and endogenous organizations," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 63(3), pages 587-619, March.
    3. Archawa Paweenawat, 2022. "Relative Performance Contracts versus Group Contracts with Hidden Savings," PIER Discussion Papers 176, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Kocherlakota, Narayana & Wright, Randall, 2008. "Introduction to monetary and macro economics," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 142(1), pages 1-4, September.
    5. Weerachart Kilenthong, 2015. "Observability and Endogenous Organizations," PIER Discussion Papers 13, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.

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