Information management in incentive problems
Journal Article (Journal Article)
We extend the standard procurement model to examine how an agent is optimally induced to acquire valuable planning information before he chooses an unobservable level of cost-reducing effort. Concerns about information acquisition cause important changes in standard incentive contracts. Reward structures with extreme financial payoffs arise, and super-high-powered contracts are coupled with contracts that entail pronounced cost sharing. However, if the principal can assign the planning and production tasks to two different agents, then all contracting distortions disappear and, except for forgone economies of scope, the principal achieves her most preferred outcome.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Lewis, TR; Sappington, DEM
Published Date
- January 1, 1997
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 105 / 4
Start / End Page
- 796 - 821
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0022-3808
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1086/262094
Citation Source
- Scopus