Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Title: Simple Sequencing Problems with Interdependent Costs 
Author-Name: Manipushpak Mitra
Author-Name: Roland Hain
Author-Email: m.mitra@wiwi.uni-bonn.de
Classification-JEL: C44, C72, C78, D82 
Keywords: Simple Sequencing Problems, Ex-post Equilibrium, First Best Implementability 
Abstract: In this paper we analyze sequencing situations under incomplete 
	information where agents have interdependent costs. We first argue why 
	Vickrey-Clarke-Groves (or VCG) mechanism fails to implement a simple 
	sequencing problem in dominant strategies. Given this impossibility, we try 
	to implement simple sequencing problems in ex-post equilibrium. We show that 
	a simple sequencing problem is implementable if and only if the mechanism is 
	a `generalized VCG mechanism'. We then show that for implementable n agent 
	simple sequencing problems, with polynomial cost function of order (n-2) or 
	less, one can achieve first best implementability. Moreover, for the class 
	of simple sequencing problems with ``sufficiently well behaved'' cost 
	function, this is the only class of first best implementable simple 
	sequencing problems.
Note: 
Length: 30
Creation-Date: 2001-07
Revision-Date: 
File-URL: http://www.wiwi.uni-bonn.de/bgsepapers/bonedp/bgse20_2001.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:bon:bonedp:bgse20_2001