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A model of strategic delegation in contests between groups

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  • Stefan Brandauer
  • Florian Englmaier

Abstract

We analyze a contest between two groups where group members have differing valuations for the contested rent. Generically the pivotal group member with the median valuation of the rent will not act himself but will want to send a group member that has preferences different to her own into the contest. The delegation can be either to more or less "radical" group members. The direction of delegation depends on the order of moves and the relative "aggressiveness" of the group medians. We show that almost certainly very asymmetric equilibria arise, even if the median group members value the rent (almost) equally. Delegation can lead to a social improvement in terms of resources spent in the contest. © Springer-Verlag 2008.
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  • Stefan Brandauer & Florian Englmaier, 2009. "A model of strategic delegation in contests between groups," Review of Economic Design, Springer;Society for Economic Design, vol. 13(3), pages 205-232, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reecde:v:13:y:2009:i:3:p:205-232
    DOI: 10.1007/s10058-008-0058-3
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    4. Heijdra, Ben J. & Ligthart, Jenny E., 2010. "The Transitional Dynamics Of Fiscal Policy In Small Open Economies," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(1), pages 1-28, February.
    5. Park Sung-Hoon & Lee Sanghack, 2019. "How Do Risk-Averse Litigants Set Contingent Fees for Risk-Neutral Lawyers?," Review of Law & Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Strategic delegation; Contests; Rent seeking; Political economy; Arms races; Distributional conflict; D72; D73; D4; P16;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D40 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - General
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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