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We prove—in the standard independent private-values model—that the outcome, in terms of interim expected probabilities of trade and interim expected transfers, of any Bayesian mechanism can also be obtained with a dominant-strategy mechanism.

A generalised bidding model is developed to calculate a bidder's expected profit and auctioners expected revenue/payment for both a General Independent Value and Independent Private Value (IPV) kmth price sealed-bid auction (where the mth bidder wins at the kth bid payment) using a linear (affine) mark-up function. The Common Value (CV) assumption, and highbid and lowbid symmetric and asymmetric First Price Auctions and Second Price Auctions are included as special cases. The optimal n bidder symmetric analytical results are then provided for the uniform IPV and CV models in equilibrium. Final comments concern implications, the assumptions involved and prospects for further research.

This paper proposes a general approach and a computationally convenient estimation procedure for the structural analysis of auction data. Considering first-price sealed-bid auction models within the independent private value paradigm, we show that the underlying distribution of bidders' private values is identified from observed bids and the number of actual bidders without any parametric assumptions. Using the theory of minimax, we establish the best rate of uniform convergence at which the latent density of private values can be estimated nonparametrically from available data. We then propose a two-step kernel-based estimator that converges at the optimal rate.

In this thesis we conduct a laboratory experiment to examine the preferences of sellers and buyers for the reserve price mechanism and test their rationalizability. We use a stylized independent private value environment, a second price auction institution and a first price auction institution to investigate if the preference is monetizable. We find that the revealed preference of the sellers does not translate on the aggregate level and partially on the individual level. Further, sellers who choose public reserve prices set higher reserve prices and achieve higher sales prices. Lastly, we find that buyers are willing to pay to obtain the reserve price information.

We propose a powerful, fully automated, and numerically robust algorithm to compute (inverse) equilibrium bid functions for asymmetric, Independent Private Values, First-Price auctions. The algorithm relies upon a built-in algebra of local Taylor-series expansions in order to compute highly accurate solutions to the set of differential equations characterizing first order conditions. It offers an extensive user friendly menu whereby one can assign commonly-used distributions to bidders and can also create arbitrary (non-inclusive) coalitions. In addition to (inverse) bid functions, the algorithm also computes a full range of auxiliary statistics of interest (expected revenues, probabilities of winning, probability of retention under reserve pricing and, on request, optimal reserve price). The algorithm also includes a built-in numerical procedure designed to automatically produce local Taylor-series expansions for any user-supplied distribution, whether analytical or tabulated (empirical, parametric, semi- or non-parametric). It provides a tool of unparalleled flexibility for the numerical investigation of theoretical conjectures of interest and/or for easy implementation within any numerical empirical inference procedure relying upon inverse bid functions.

Experimental research on first price sealed bid auctions has usually involved repeated settings with information feedback on winning bids and payoffs after each auction round. Relative to the risk neutral Nash equilibrium, significantly higher bidding has been reported. The present paper reports the results of experimental first price auctions with n =7 where feedback on payoffs and winning bids is withheld. Under these conditions, average bidding is below the risk neutral Nash equilibrium prediction but converges to it with repetition.

A large body of the mechanism design literature relies on convexity assumptions on the set of types (that is, on the domain of the mechanism). In this note I show that, at least for auction mechanisms with independent signals, it is always possible to extend incentive compatible mechanisms to incentive compatible mechanisms defined on any larger set of types.

Zheng has proposed a seller-optimal auction for (asymmetric) independent-private-value environments where inter-bidder resale is possible. Zheng's construction requires novel assumptions—Resale Monotonicity, Transitivity, and Invariance—on the bidders' value distribution profile. The only known examples of distribution profiles satisfying these assumptions in environments with three or more bidders are uniform distributions. Using inverse virtual valuation functions as a novel tool, we characterize the set of distribution profiles satisfying Zheng's assumptions. Our characterization result shows that the assumptions, while being strong, are satisfied by many non-uniform distribution profiles. Hence, Zheng's result applies more generally than one may have thought before. A crucial step in our analysis is to show that Invariance implies Resale Monotonicity and Transitivity.

The paper reports on a series of asymmetric auction experiments with private-independent values and two buyers. Maskin and Riley (2000) showed, under some conditions, that if one buyer has a greater probability than the other of not being able to bid, first-price auctions could yield lower revenues to the seller than second-price auctions. The data rejected this prediction because of an important overbidding when subjects received low values in first-price auctions. In this asymmetric setting, the observed overbidding cannot be explained by the usual risk aversion hypothesis and the detection of a learning pattern indicates that subjects used more an adaptive behaviour than a static one. An ad hoc bidding strategy for the buyers who are the most likely to bid explains the observed low bids better than the risk neutral equilibrium strategy. Finally, as subjects appear to have bid in equilibrium as if there were two other competitors instead of only one, their bidding behaviour can be thought to have displayed an over anxiousness about winning.

Spirituality in the workplace is gaining recognition and value among researchers, academicians, and business professionals. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of spirituality in the workplace on job satisfaction by measuring four dimensions of spirituality in the workplace: meaningful work, sense of community, organizational values, and compassion. The impact of each dimension on job satisfaction is hypothesized. A crosssectional survey was used to collect data from 100 payroll employees in private insurance companies in Punjab (India). A correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between all the dimensions of spirituality in the workplace and job satisfaction. A regression analysis revealed that although all the dimensions of spirituality in the workplace are important, organizational values and a sense of community are the most important in terms of the job satisfaction level of employees. This work will help insurance companies to better understand the concept of spirituality in the workplace and its importance. Insurance companies can improve their functioning by encouraging employee spirituality in the workplace.