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Contests with size effects

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  • Eggert, Wolfgang
  • Kolmar, Martin

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the structure of contest equilibria with a variable number of agents. First we analyze a situation where the total prize depends on the number of agents and where every single agent faces opportunity costs of investing in the contest. Second we analyze a situation where the agents face a trade-off between productive and appropriative investments. Here, the number of agents may also influence the productivity of productive investments. It turns out that both tyes of contests may lead to opposing results concerning the optimal numnber of contestants depending on the strength of size effects. Whereas in the former case individual utility is J-shaped when the number of agents increases, the opposite holds true for the latter case. We discuss the implications of our findings for the case of competition on markets and for the case fo unstable property rights.
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Suggested Citation

  • Eggert, Wolfgang & Kolmar, Martin, 2006. "Contests with size effects," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 989-1008, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:poleco:v:22:y:2006:i:4:p:989-1008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sung-Hoon Park, 2019. "The gap between equilibrium expected payoffs in contests with linear externalities," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(4), pages 2302-2307.
    2. Hutchison, Michael M & Noy, Ilan, 2005. "How Bad Are Twins? Output Costs of Currency and Banking Crises," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 37(4), pages 725-752, August.
    3. Kräkel, Matthias, 2012. "Competitive careers as a way to mediocracy," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 76-87.
    4. David Lagziel & Lotem Ikan, 2023. "The Indoctrination Game," Working Papers 2304, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Economics.
    5. Giebe, Thomas & Schweinzer, Paul, 2014. "Consuming your way to efficiency: Public goods provision through non-distortionary tax lotteries," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-12.
    6. Sung-Hoon Park & Jason F. Shogren, 2021. "A Virtuous Circle of Governance Contests with Externalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-12, July.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General

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