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Contribution Details

Type Journal Article
Scope Discipline-based scholarship
Title Efficiency in Auctions with Private and Common Values: An Experimental Study
Organization Unit
Authors
  • Jacob Goeree
  • Theo Offerman
Item Subtype Original Work
Refereed Yes
Status Published in final form
Language
  • English
Journal Title American Economic Review
Publisher American Economic Association
Geographical Reach international
ISSN 0002-8282
Volume 92
Number 3
Page Range 625 - 643
Date 2002
Abstract Text Auctions are generally not efficient when the object’s expected value depends on private and common value information. We report a series of first-price auction experiments to measure the degree of inefficiency that occurs with financially motivated bidders. While some subjects fall prey to the winner’s curse, they weigh their private and common value information in roughly the same manner as rational bidders, with observed efficiencies close to predicted levels. Increased competition and reduced uncertainty about the common value positively affect revenues and efficiency. The public release of information about the common value also raises efficiency, although less than predicted.
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Digital Object Identifier 10.1257/00028280260136435
Other Identification Number merlin-id:4986
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