Behavioral Economics as Applied to Firms: A Primer

We discuss the literatures on behavioral economics, bounded rationality and experimental economics as they apply to firm behaviour in markets. Topics discussed include the impact of imitative and satisficing behavior by firms, outcomes when managers care about their position relative to peers, the benefits of employing managers whose objective diverges from profit-maximization (including managers who are overconfident or base pricing decisions on sunk costs), the impact of social preferences on the ability to collude, and the incentive for profit-maximizing firms to mimic irrational behavior.behavioral economics, firms, oligopoly, bounded rationality, collusion

Consumer behavioural biases in competition: A survey

This is a survey of studies that examine competition in the presence of behaviourally biased or boundedly rational consumers. It will tackle questions such as: How does competition and pricing change when consumers are biased? Can inefficiencies that arise from consumer behavioural biases be mitigated by lowering barriers to entry? Do biased consumers make rational ones better or worse off? And will biased consumer behaviour be overcome through learning or education?Behavioural Economics, Industrial Organization, Biased Consumers

Players with Limited Memory

This paper studies a model of memory. The model takes into account that memory capacity is limited and imperfect. We study how agents with such memory limitations, who have very little information about their choice environment, play games. In particular, the players do not know if they are playing a game. We show that players do better in games than in decision problems. This is because the players, unknowingly, improve the environment they face in games. We also show that people can do quite well in games even with severely limited memories, although memory restrictions tend to make them behave cautiously. Lastly, we introduce a solution concept approiate for analysis games in which the players may have limited knowledge of their environment and have some memory restictions. We show hos this solution concept is related to other like the iterated removal of strictly dominated strategies.

Behavioral economics as applied to firms: a primer

We discuss the literatures on behavioral economics, bounded rationality and experimental economics as they apply to firm behavior in markets. Topics discussed include the impact of imitative and satisficing behavior by firms, outcomes when managers care about their position relative to peers, the benefits of employing managers whose objective diverges from profit-maximization (including managers who are overconfident or base pricing decisions on sunk costs), the impact of social preferences on the ability to collude, and the incentive for profit-maximizing firms to mimic irrational behavior.Behavioral economics, bounded rationality, experimental economics, oligopoly, antitrust

Endogenous Leadership in Teams

In this paper we study the mechanics of ``leading by example'' in teams. Leadership is beneficial for the entire team when agents are conformists, i.e., dislike effort differentials. We also show how leadership can arise endogenously and discuss what type of leader benefits a team most.team production; conformism; leadership; leading by example; endogenous timing

Merger profitability and trade policy

We study the profitability and welfare effects of merger in a strategic trade policy environment. Merger changes the strategic trade policy equilibrium. We show that merger can be profitable and welfare enhancing here, even though it is not profitable in a laissez-faire economy. A key element is the change in the governments’ incentives to give subsidies to their local firms. We apply the results to the merger between Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas, where subsidies are a constant matter of debate. Our theory explains why the merger was profitable for Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas, why Airbus Industries opposed the merger, why the US authorities agreed to the merger, and why the EU competition authorities opposed it. -- Wir betrachten die Profitabilität und die Wohlfahrtseffekte von Unternehmensfusionen in einer internationalen Welt, in der Staaten das Instrument strategischer Außenhandelspolitik nutzen. Die Rückwirkungen der Fusionen auf die Wahl der strategischen Außenhandelspolitik machen Fusionen von Unternehmen des gleichen Landes profitabel, selbst wenn diese Fusionen in einer Welt ohne Außenhandelssubventionen nicht profitabel wären. Diese Resultate können erklären, weshalb die Fusion zwischen Boeing und McDonnell-Douglas profitabel war, weshalb Airbus unter der Fusion leidet und weshalb die US-Wettbewerbsbehörde der Fusion gegenüber positiver eingestellt war als die europäische Wettbewerbsbehörde.Merger,strategic trade policy

Imitation - Theory and Experimental Evidence

We introduce a generalized theoretical approach to study imitation and subject it to rigorous experimental testing. In our theoretical analysis we find that the different predictions of previous imitation models are due to different informational assumptions, not to different behavioral rules. It is more important whom one imitates rather than how. In a laboratory experiment we test the different theories by systematically varying information conditions. We find significant effects of seemingly innocent changes in information. Moreover, the generalized imitation model predicts the differences between treatments well. The data provide support for imitation on the individual level, both in terms of choice and in terms of perception. But imitation is not unconditional. Rather individuals' propensity to imitate more successful actions is increasing in payoff differences

Reciprocity, Social Ties, and Competition in Markets for Experience Goods

Reciprocal customers may disproportionately improve the performance of markets for experience goods. Reciprocal customers reward (punish) firms for providing good (bad) quality by upholding (terminating) the customer relation. This may induce firms to provide good quality which, in turn, may induce a positive externality for nonreciprocal customers who would, in the absence of reciprocal types, face market breakdown. This efficiency-enhancing effect of reciprocity is boosted when there are social ties between consumers and competition between firms. The existence of social ties or competition alone does not improve market performance.social networks; reputation; reciprocity; experience goods; customer loyalty