Negotiation and Auction Mechanisms:Two Systems and Two Experiments

摘要

Auction and negotiation are mechanisms used in market exchanges. Behavioral economics experiments focused on the mechanism efficiency which required highly simplified problems and contexts. This paper discusses an ongoing project involving an experimental comparison of auction and negotiation mechanisms embedded in software which we have developed. Both reverse multi-attribute auctions and multi-bilateral negotiations are used in a transportation service procurement scenario. The potential contribution includes the verification of theoretical claims that auctions arc more profitable for auction givers than negotiations. It also includes formulation of guidelines for appropriate design of multiattribute market mechanisms and their selection.