This paper extends the classic two-armed bandit problem to a many-agent setting in which N players each face the same experimentation problem. The difference with the single-agent problem is that agents can now learn from the experiments of others. Thus, experiementation produces a public good...

We examine a recursive algorithm for learning steady states and cycles in stochastic nonlinear models. Necessary and sufficient conditions for local convergence are shown to be equivalent to easily computable expectational-stability conditions. These conditions are affected by the distribution...

This paper suggests a reason, other than asymmetric formation, why agency contracts are not explicitly contingent on the contracting parties' performances or actions. This reason is the formal nature of contracts: the form, usually written, that contracts are required to take to be enforceable...

Rational expectations as the standard solution concept for dynamic economic models leaves open two fundamental questions: (1) how can RE be attained if agents do not actually begin with RE?, and (2) which RE solution will the economy follow hen there are multiple RE solutions? Expectational...

Large public bureaucracies are usually less efficient than modern private corporations. This paper explains how the degree of discretionary power might account for this difference in efficiency. In fact, increasing the discretionary power of the intermediate layers of an organization can enhance...

It has been argued that collusion among the members of an organization or a vertical structure creates efficiency losses, and hence should be prevented. This paper shows that whenever collusion takes the form of co-insurance agreements, here called ?friendships?, among the members of a vertical...

We study wage determination in a job-matching model, under the assumption that wages may be continuously renegotiated, so as to reflect the employee's endogenous outside option. We characterize the unique equilibirum of the model and we analyse the distribution of producer surplus. The model is...

We examine local stability under learning of stationary Markov sunspot equilibria (SSEs) in a simply dynamic nonlinear model. Necessary and sufficient conditions for local convergence of a recursive learning algorithm to SSEs are shown to be given (generically) by expectational stability...