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Combinatorial clock auctions: Price direction and performance

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  • Munro, David R.
  • Rassenti, Stephen J.

Abstract

The lack of price guidance towards efficiency relevant packages in ascending combinatorial clock auctions (ACCA) can lead to a low-efficiency allocation of goods. We propose a descending price combinatorial clock auction (DCCA) with a newly devised pricing strategy to improve on this problem. Using agent-based simulations we document that the DCCA provides significant improvements over the ACCA and we are able to understand in which environments these improvements are likely to be the strongest. We test these predictions in the laboratory with human subjects and find evidence that the DCCA generates improvements in auction efficiency and revenue.

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  • Munro, David R. & Rassenti, Stephen J., 2019. "Combinatorial clock auctions: Price direction and performance," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 195-217.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:117:y:2019:i:c:p:195-217
    DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2019.07.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicolas C. Bedard & Jacob K. Goeree & Philippos Louis & Jingjing Zhang, 2020. "The Favored but Flawed Simultaneous Multiple-Round Auction," Working Paper Series 2020/03, Economics Discipline Group, UTS Business School, University of Technology, Sydney.
    2. Nicholas C. Bedard & Jacob K. Goeree & Philippos Louis & Jingjing Zhang, 2024. "Sealed-bid versus ascending spectrum auctions," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 27(2), pages 299-324, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Combinatorial auctions; Efficiency; Experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis

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