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Project Assignment Rights and Incentives for Eliciting Ideas

Author

Listed:
  • Anil Arya

    (The Ohio State University, 2100 Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210)

  • Jonathan Glover

    (GSIA, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213)

  • Bryan R. Routledge

    (GSIA, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213)

Abstract

In this paper, we study an incentive problem that arises between a principal and two agents because they value a real option differently. The real option in our model is a timing option. The agents have limited capacity to undertake projects, and each agent's capacity can be filled now or later. Because the principal cares about capacity in the aggregate but each agent cares only about his own capacity, the agents assign a higher value to the option to wait. As a result, agents sometimes withhold ideas from the principal. We show that decentralization can be a solution to this problem. Delegating assignment rights to an agent reduces the option value of waiting for the other agent sufficiently that he is willing to reveal his ideas.

Suggested Citation

  • Anil Arya & Jonathan Glover & Bryan R. Routledge, 2002. "Project Assignment Rights and Incentives for Eliciting Ideas," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(7), pages 886-899, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:48:y:2002:i:7:p:886-899
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.48.7.886.2822
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Antle, Rick & Bogetoft, Peter & Stark, Andrew W., 2001. "Information systems, incentives and the timing of investments," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(4-5), pages 267-294.
    2. Nahum D. Melumad & Dilip Mookherjee & Stefan Reichelstein, 1995. "Hierarchical Decentralization of Incentive Contracts," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 26(4), pages 654-672, Winter.
    3. Van Zandt, Timothy, 1995. "Hierarchical computation of the resource allocation problem," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(3-4), pages 700-708, April.
    4. Prendergast, Canice J, 1995. "A Theory of Responsibility in Organizations," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 13(3), pages 387-400, July.
    5. Radner, Roy, 1993. "The Organization of Decentralized Information Processing," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 61(5), pages 1109-1146, September.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Wonder, Nicholas, 2006. "Contracting on real option payoffs," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(1), pages 20-35.
    2. Wassila Bensahel, 2010. "Une Creation Substantielle De La Valeur Adaptee Aux Entreprises Intensives En Immateriel," Post-Print hal-00479541, HAL.
    3. Meißner, Fabian & Schneider, Georg & Sureth, Caren, 2013. "The impact of corporate taxes and flexibility on entrepreneurial decisions with moral hazard and simultaneous firm and personal level taxation," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 141, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    4. Li, Yong & James, Barclay & Madhavan, Ravi & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2006. "Real Options: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead," Working Papers 06-0114, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.

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