We demonstrate that a simple model, constructed on the premise that people are motivated by both their pecuniary payoff and their relative payoff standing, organizes a large and seemingly disparate set of laboratory observations as one consistent pattern The model is incomplete information but nevertheless posed entirely in terms of directly observable variables The model explains observations from games where equity is thought to be a factor, such as ultimatum and dictator, games where reciprocity is thought to play a role, such as the prisoner's dilemma and gift exchange, and games where competitive behavior is observed, such as Bertrand markets (JEL C78, C90, D63, D64, H41)

/pdf/erc-a-theory-of-equity-reciprocity-and-competition-9lhkqwqjzg.pdf

ERC: A Theory of Equity, Reciprocity, and Competition

With the publication of The Logic of Collective Action in 1965, Mancur Olson challenged a cherished foundation of modern democratic thought that groups would tend to form and take collective action...

/pdf/collective-action-and-the-evolution-of-social-norms-39il4hoxmh.pdf

Collective Action and the Evolution of Social Norms

This article discusses the economic implications of reciprocity. A long-standing tradition in economics views human beings as exclusively self-interested. In most economic accounts of individual behavior and aggregate social phenomena, the vast forces of greed are put at the center of the explanation. However, many people deviate from purely self-interested behavior in a reciprocal manner. Reciprocity means that in response to friendly actions, people are frequently much nicer and much more cooperative than predicted by the self-interest model; conversely, in response to hostile actions they are frequently much more nasty and even brutal. There is considerable evidence that a substantial fraction of people behave according to this dictum: People repay gifts and take revenge even in interactions with complete strangers and even if it is costly for them and yields neither present nor future material rewards. This notion of reciprocity is thus very different from kind or hostile responses in repeated interactions that are solely motivated by future material gains.

/pdf/fairness-and-retaliation-the-economics-of-reciprocity-3kli7g3xjv.pdf

Fairness and Retaliation: The Economics of Reciprocity

In recent years, there has been a steadily increasing interest on the part of economists in happiness research. We argue that reported subjective well-being is a satisfactory empirical approximation to individual utility and that happiness research is able to contribute important insights for economics. We report how the economic variables income, unemployment and inflation affect happiness as well as how institutional factors, in particular the type of democracy and the extent of government decentralization, systematically influence how satisfied individuals are with their life. We discuss some of the consequences for economic policy and for economic theory.

/pdf/what-can-economists-learn-from-happiness-research-tp056e628i.pdf

What can economists learn from happiness research

https://www.econ.uzh.ch/dam/jcr:ffffffff-9758-127f-0000-00003449356a/ArePeopleCondCooperative.pdf

Are people conditionally cooperative? Evidence from a public goods experiment

In this note we consider the preferences of a profit maximizing firm for international ownership in a world in which firms compete in an international Cournot oligopoly, and in which countries use strategic trade policy. We find that firms prefer national ownership and show that full indigenisation occurs in the equilibrium.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm?abstractid=388620

Strategic Trade Policy and the Home Bias in Firm Ownership Structure

https://homepage.univie.ac.at/wieland.mueller/publications/ijio_2004_strategic_delegation.pdf

Strategic delegation in experimental markets

In this experiment, we analyze strategic delegation in a Cournot duopoly. Owners can choose among two different contracts which determine their managers' salaries. One contract simply gives managers incentives to maximize firm profits, while the second contract gives an additional sales bonus. Although theory predicts the second contract to be chosen, it is only rarely chosen in the experimental markets. This behavior is rational given that managers do not play according to the subgame perfect equilibrium prediction when asymmetric contracts are given.

When asking for donations, charitable organizations often suggest a potential amount to contribute. However, the evidence concerning the effects of such suggestions is scarce and inconsistent. Unlike the majority of earlier studies concerned with small-money solicitations, we examine the effect of larger nonbinding suggestions in the context of middle-range donations which are relevant in practice. In a randomized field experiment conducted in conjunction with the Bavarian State Opera, opera visitors received solicitation letters asking to support a social youth project organized by the opera house. The three different treatments were: no suggestion and suggestions of €100 and €200, respectively. Both suggestions were larger than average and median donations in this context. We find that suggested contribution levels substantially influence the distribution of donations actually received. The mean amounts given increase significantly if a suggestion is made. The increase is stronger in the €200 treatment. On the other hand, the participation rate decreases if a suggestion is made. Overall, the returns from the campaign increase non-significantly when a suggestion is made. The solicitation was repeated a year later, without any suggestion. There is weak evidence that suggestions have a long-term effect on individual contribution-level decisions.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/DP9841.pdf?abstractid=2444862&mirid=1

Steffen Huck

Papers

Strategic Trade Policy and the Home Bias in Firm Ownership Structure

Strategic delegation in experimental markets

Strategic delegation in experimental markets

Charitable Giving and Nonbinding Contribution-Level Suggestions Evidence from a Field Experiment

The relevance of equal splits