Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/221448 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
1994
Series/Report no.: 
Discussion Paper No. 1092
Publisher: 
Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science, Evanston, IL
Abstract: 
The Coase theorem states that in public good problems, when there are no transaction costs, once property rights are well defined, the efficient outcome will always result. In particular, the assignment of property rights has, by itself, no efficiency implications; different allocations of property rights have merely distributive consequences. Under asymmetric information, however, the situation is completely different. The results of Rob (1989) and Mailath and Postlewaite (1990) indicate that, under asymmetric information, there is no way to overcome the "free-rider" problem. As the number of agents increases, the probablity of implementing the efficient outcome decreases to zero. By contrast, in this paper, we identify initial allocations of property rights that are compatible with the operation of an efficient mechanism. We present a mechanism that satisifies the conditions of incentive compatibility and individual rationality (with respect to this initial allocation of property rights) for the individuals and for the firm and that implements the efficient outcome in public good problems under asymmetric information. In this respect, we identify "efficient" property rights structures.
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.