IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orisre/v21y2010i1p15-36.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On Evaluating Information Revelation Policies in Procurement Auctions: A Markov Decision Process Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Amy Greenwald

    (Department of Computer Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912)

  • Karthik Kannan

    (Krannert School of Management, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907)

  • Ramayya Krishnan

    (Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213)

Abstract

Each market session in a reverse electronic marketplace features a procurer and many suppliers. An important attribute of a market session chosen by the procurer is its information revelation policy. The revelation policy determines the information (such as the number of competitors, the winning bids, etc.) that will be revealed to participating suppliers at the conclusion of each market session. Suppliers participating in multiple market sessions use strategic bidding and fake their own cost structure to obtain information revealed at the end of each market session. The information helps to reduce two types of uncertainties encountered in future market sessions, namely, their opponents' cost structure and an estimate of the number of their competitors. Whereas the first type of uncertainty is present in physical and e-marketplaces, the second type of uncertainty naturally arises in IT-enabled marketplaces. Through their effect on the uncertainty faced by suppliers, information revelation policies influence the bidding behavior of suppliers which, in turn, determines the expected price paid by the procurer. Therefore, the choice of information revelation policy has important consequences for the procurer.This paper develops a partially observable Markov decision process model of supplier bidding behavior and uses a multiagent e-marketplace simulation to analyze the effect that two commonly used information revelation policies---complete information policy and incomplete information policy---have on the expected price paid by the procurer. We find that the expected price under the complete information policy is lower than that under the incomplete information policy. The integration of ideas from the multiagents literature, the machine-learning literature, and the economics literature to develop a method to evaluate information revelation policies in e-marketplaces is a novel feature of this paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Amy Greenwald & Karthik Kannan & Ramayya Krishnan, 2010. "On Evaluating Information Revelation Policies in Procurement Auctions: A Markov Decision Process Approach," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 21(1), pages 15-36, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:21:y:2010:i:1:p:15-36
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.1080.0168
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/isre.1080.0168
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/isre.1080.0168?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Narasimhan, Chakravarthi, 1988. "Competitive Promotional Strategies," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 61(4), pages 427-449, October.
    2. Riyaz Sikora & Michael J. Shaw, 1996. "A Computational Study of Distributed Rule Learning," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 7(2), pages 189-197, June.
    3. Dekel, Eddie & Fudenberg, Drew & Levine, David K., 2004. "Learning to play Bayesian games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 282-303, February.
    4. Hon-Snir, Shlomit & Monderer, Dov & Sela, Aner, 1998. "A Learning Approach to Auctions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 82(1), pages 65-88, September.
    5. Cox, James C. & Smith, Vernon L. & Walker, James M., 1982. "Auction market theory of heterogeneous bidders," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 319-325.
    6. S.J. Rassenti & V.L. Smith & R.L. Bulfin, 1982. "A Combinatorial Auction Mechanism for Airport Time Slot Allocation," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 13(2), pages 402-417, Autumn.
    7. Kevin Zhu, 2004. "Information Transparency of Business-to-Business Electronic Markets: A Game-Theoretic Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(5), pages 670-685, May.
    8. Paul R. Kleindorfer & D. J. Wu, 2003. "Integrating Long- and Short-Term Contracting via Business-to-Business Exchanges for Capital-Intensive Industries," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(11), pages 1597-1615, November.
    9. Ashish Arora & Amy Greenwald & Karthik Kannan & Ramayya Krishnan, 2007. "Effects of Information-Revelation Policies Under Market-Structure Uncertainty," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(8), pages 1234-1248, August.
    10. Donald B. Hausch, 1986. "Multi-Object Auctions: Sequential vs. Simultaneous Sales," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(12), pages 1599-1610, December.
    11. Riyaz Sikora & Michael J. Shaw, 1998. "A Multi-Agent Framework for the Coordination and Integration of Information Systems," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(11-Part-2), pages 65-78, November.
    12. Madhavan, Ananth & Porter, David & Weaver, Daniel, 2005. "Should securities markets be transparent?," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 265-287, August.
    13. J. Yannis Bakos & Barrie R. Nault, 1997. "Ownership and Investment in Electronic Networks," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 8(4), pages 321-341, December.
    14. Ekkehart Boehmer & Gideon Saar & Lei Yu, 2005. "Lifting the Veil: An Analysis of Pre‐trade Transparency at the NYSE," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(2), pages 783-815, April.
    15. Milgrom, Paul R & Weber, Robert J, 1982. "A Theory of Auctions and Competitive Bidding," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(5), pages 1089-1122, September.
    16. Bloomfield, Robert & O'Hara, Maureen, 1999. "Market Transparency: Who Wins and Who Loses?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 12(1), pages 5-35.
    17. D. J. Wu & Paul R. Kleindorfer, 2005. "Competitive Options, Supply Contracting, and Electronic Markets," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(3), pages 452-466, March.
    18. Scott M. Carr, 2003. "Note on Online Auctions with Costly Bid Evaluation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(11), pages 1521-1528, November.
    19. Herbert A. Simon, 1990. "Prediction and Prescription in Systems Modeling," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 38(1), pages 7-14, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yabing Jiang & Hong Guo, 2015. "Design of Consumer Review Systems and Product Pricing," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 26(4), pages 714-730, December.
    2. Ninoslav Malekovic & Lazaros Goutas & Juliana Sutanto & Dennis Galletta, 2020. "Regret under different auction designs: the case of English and Dutch auctions," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 30(1), pages 151-161, March.
    3. Eric Overby & Karthik Kannan, 2015. "How Reduced Search Costs and the Distribution of Bidder Participation Affect Auction Prices," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(6), pages 1398-1420, June.
    4. Yabing Jiang & Hong Guo, 2012. "Design of Consumer Review Systems and Product Pricing," Working Papers 12-10, NET Institute.
    5. Karthik Kannan & Vandith Pamuru & Yaroslav Rosokha, 2023. "Analyzing Frictions in Generalized Second-Price Auction Markets," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(4), pages 1437-1454, December.
    6. Pham, Long & Teich, Jeffrey & Wallenius, Hannele & Wallenius, Jyrki, 2015. "Multi-attribute online reverse auctions: Recent research trends," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 242(1), pages 1-9.
    7. Yili Hong & Chong (Alex) Wang & Paul A. Pavlou, 2016. "Comparing Open and Sealed Bid Auctions: Evidence from Online Labor Markets," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 27(1), pages 49-69, March.
    8. Yaroslav Rosokha & Kenneth Younge, 2020. "Motivating Innovation: The Effect of Loss Aversion on the Willingness to Persist," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 102(3), pages 569-582, July.
    9. Alok Gupta & Stephen Parente & Pallab Sanyal, 2012. "Competitive bidding for health insurance contracts: lessons from the online HMO auctions," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 303-322, December.
    10. Martin Bichler & Alok Gupta & Wolfgang Ketter, 2010. "Research Commentary ---Designing Smart Markets," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 21(4), pages 688-699, December.
    11. Kai Lu & Zaiyan Wei & Tat Y. Chan, 2022. "Information Asymmetry Among Investors and Strategic Bidding in Peer-to-Peer Lending," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(3), pages 824-845, September.
    12. Karthik N. Kannan, 2012. "Effects of Information Revelation Policies Under Cost Uncertainty," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 23(1), pages 75-92, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ashish Arora & Amy Greenwald & Karthik Kannan & Ramayya Krishnan, 2007. "Effects of Information-Revelation Policies Under Market-Structure Uncertainty," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(8), pages 1234-1248, August.
    2. Karthik N. Kannan, 2012. "Effects of Information Revelation Policies Under Cost Uncertainty," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 23(1), pages 75-92, March.
    3. Anindya Ghose & Tridas Mukhopadhyay & Uday Rajan, 2007. "The Impact of Internet Referral Services on a Supply Chain," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 18(3), pages 300-319, September.
    4. Aghanya, Daniel & Agarwal, Vineet & Poshakwale, Sunil, 2020. "Market in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), stock price informativeness and liquidity," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    5. Pham, Thu Phuong & Westerholm, P. Joakim, 2013. "A survey of research into broker identity and limit order book," Working Papers 17212, University of Tasmania, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, revised 16 Oct 2013.
    6. Amir Danak & Shie Mannor, 2012. "Approximately optimal bidding policies for repeated first-price auctions," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 196(1), pages 189-199, July.
    7. Peter Gomber & Satchit Sagade & Erik Theissen & Moritz Christian Weber & Christian Westheide, 2017. "Competition Between Equity Markets: A Review Of The Consolidation Versus Fragmentation Debate," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 792-814, July.
    8. Ahlert, Klaus-Henning & Corsten, Hans & Gössinger, Ralf, 2009. "Capacity management in order-driven production networks--A flexibility-oriented approach to determine the size of a network capacity pool," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(2), pages 430-441, April.
    9. Cramton, Peter C, 1995. "Money Out of Thin Air: The Nationwide Narrowband PCS Auction," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(2), pages 267-343, Summer.
    10. Easley, David & Hendershott, Terrence & Ramadorai, Tarun, 2014. "Leveling the trading field," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 65-93.
    11. Wang, Ming-Chang & Cheng, Lee-Young & Ko, Chien-Chuan & Chou, Pang-Ying, 2018. "Does public latency influence market quality? An analysis of pre-trade transparency at the Taiwan futures exchange," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 227-240.
    12. Dionigi Gerace & Qigui Liu & Gary Gang Tian & Willa Zheng, 2015. "Call Auction Transparency and Market Liquidity: Evidence from China," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 15(2), pages 223-255, June.
    13. Natasha Khan, 2007. "Impact of Electronic Trading Platforms on the Brokered Interdealer Market for Government of Canada Benchmark Bonds," Staff Working Papers 07-5, Bank of Canada.
    14. Marius Cristian Miloș, 2021. "Impact of MiFID II on the Market Volatility—Analysis on Some Developed and Emerging European Stock Markets," Laws, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-11, June.
    15. Eom, Kyong Shik & Ok, Jinho & Park, Jong-Ho, 2007. "Pre-trade transparency and market quality," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 319-341, November.
    16. G. Anandalingam & Robert W. Day & S. Raghavan, 2005. "The Landscape of Electronic Market Design," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(3), pages 316-327, March.
    17. Yili Hong & Chong (Alex) Wang & Paul A. Pavlou, 2016. "Comparing Open and Sealed Bid Auctions: Evidence from Online Labor Markets," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 27(1), pages 49-69, March.
    18. Timothy N. Cason & Karthik N. Kannan & Ralph Siebert, 2011. "An Experimental Study of Information Revelation Policies in Sequential Auctions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 57(4), pages 667-688, April.
    19. Johannes Horner & Julian Jamison, 2006. "Private Information in Sequential Common-Value Auctions," Discussion Papers 1422, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science.
    20. PASCUAL, Roberto & VEREDAS, David, 2004. "What pieces of limit order book information are informative ?," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2004033, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:21:y:2010:i:1:p:15-36. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.