Hometown-specific Bargaining Power in an Experimental Market in China

We conducted a market experiment in China to examine potential effects of subjects' hometowns on their behaviors as well as potential differences between team and individual trades. We observed that group size affected bargaining power and subsequently payoffs in different directions according to where the subjects were from. This finding suggests that it is important to take one's hometown into account when comparing economic behavior or decision-making between teams and individuals, especially in the countries or regions where hometown diversity plays a central role in explaining differences in business management and local market performance.