This paper implements an experimental test of a game-theoretic model of equilibrium profiling. Attackers choose a demographic “type” from which to recruit, and defenders choose which demographic types to search. Some types are more reliable than others in the sense of having a higher...

The direct sale of emission allowances by auction is an emerging characteristic of cap-and-trade programs. This study is motivated by the observation that all of the major implementations of cap-and-trade regulations for the control of air pollution have started with a generous allocation of...

This thesis includes two essays. Essay 1 analyzes the diffusion process of a cost-reducing technology innovation within an industry. Two factors generate the diffusion. The first factor is the gently declining production cost with the innovation, which makes technology adoption more profitable...

Contests are economic or social interactions in which two or more players expend costly resources in order to win prize(s). The resources expended by players determine their probability of winning a prize. This dissertation investigates theoretical and experimental applications of Contest theory...

This paper uses laboratory experiments to investigate the effects of alternative solutions to a common-pool resource with a unidirectional flow. The focus is on the comparative economic efficiency of communications, bilateral “Coasian” bargaining, auctions and price-based allocations. All...

The proposed 2008 TARP auction was intended to facilitate rapid purchases by the U.S. department of Treasury of a wide array of mortgage-backed securities in order to remove these “toxic assets” from the portfolios of financially stressed banks. The Treasury had selected a Reference Price...

We experimentally study auctions versus grandfathering in the initial assignment of pollution permits that can be traded in a secondary spot market. Low and high emitters compete for permits in the auction, whereas permits are assigned for free under grandfathering. In theory, trading in the...