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A Didactic Example of Linear (Multidimensional) Screening Contracts

Author

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  • Ludovic Renou

    (Department of Economics, European University Institute, Italy and Economics Division, University of Southampton, U.K.)

Abstract

This short paper proposes a didactic example on how to solve a multidimensional screening problem in the linear case. In the proposed example, shareholders of a cash-constrained firm propose to the firm management a recapitalization in counterpart of the distribution of future dividends. The capacity of the firm to distribute future dividends depends on its production costs and its technology, which are private information of the management. Thus shareholders face a (multidimensional) screening problem. We completely characterize the optimal menus of contracts that shareholders offer. Notably, we show that there always exist optimal menus of contracts with at most two contracts offered: a low dividend, low recapitalization contract and a high dividend, high recapitalization contract. This is an extreme case of bunching.

Suggested Citation

  • Ludovic Renou, 2003. "A Didactic Example of Linear (Multidimensional) Screening Contracts," International Journal of Business and Economics, School of Management Development, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan, vol. 2(3), pages 245-261, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:ijb:journl:v:2:y:2003:i:3:p:245-261
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Myerson, Roger B, 1979. "Incentive Compatibility and the Bargaining Problem," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 47(1), pages 61-73, January.
    2. Rochet, J. C., 1985. "The taxation principle and multi-time Hamilton-Jacobi equations," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 113-128, April.
    3. Jullien, Bruno, 2000. "Participation Constraints in Adverse Selection Models," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 1-47, July.
    4. Basov, Suren, 2001. "Hamiltonian approach to multi-dimensional screening," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 77-94, September.
    5. Carlier, Guillaume, 2001. "A general existence result for the principal-agent problem with adverse selection," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 129-150, February.
    6. McAfee, R. Preston & McMillan, John, 1988. "Multidimensional incentive compatibility and mechanism design," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 335-354, December.
    7. Rochet, Jean-Charles, 1987. "A necessary and sufficient condition for rationalizability in a quasi-linear context," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 191-200, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Birger Wernerfelt, 2008. "Class Pricing," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(5), pages 755-763, 09-10.
    2. Jong-Shin Wei & Chwen-Chi Liu, 2003. "Structure, Conduct, and Performance of Principal-Agent Models: An Overview," International Journal of Business and Economics, School of Management Development, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan, vol. 2(3), pages 177-178, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    multidimensional screening; bunching; adverse selection; shareholders; dividends; recapitalization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C6 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty

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