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Implications of Endogenous Group Formation for Efficient Risk-Sharing

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  • Tessa Bold

Abstract

This paper models the implications of endogenous group formation for efficient risk-sharing contracts in the dynamic limited commitment model. Endogenising group formation requires that any risk-sharing arrangement is not only stable with respect to individual deviations but also with respect to deviations by sub-groups. This requirement alters the central predictions of the dynamic limited commitment model for efficient bilateral risk-sharing. Firstly, consumption of constrained agents depends on the previous history of shocks and the interaction of the history of shocks with the current income realizations of other constrained agents. As a consequence, the efficient contract does not display amnesia. Secondly, the covariance between current consumption and past income can take on negative values. Based on the first result, we derive a formal test for the presence of endogenous group formation under limited commitment. In addition, we show how this test can be extended to distinguish a limited commitment/perfect information environment from a full commitment/imperfect information environment empirically.

Suggested Citation

  • Tessa Bold, 2008. "Implications of Endogenous Group Formation for Efficient Risk-Sharing," Economics Series Working Papers 387, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:oxf:wpaper:387
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Risk-Sharing; Limited Commitment; Endogenous Group Formation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • D86 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Economics of Contract Law
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games

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