This paper explores a number of different theoretical positions concerned with the methodology, philosophy, process and practice of OR. These are presented in order to air some of the debates relevant to the theory of (or the role of theory in) OR, but not to provide any definitive resolution to...

In this paper we show that the "Coase problem" of the private oversupply of inputs applies equally to investors supplying capital to firms. Investors would like to commit to supplying only the monopoly amount of capital to an industry, but ex-post may be tempted to fund a second firm, devaluing...

It is often useful to have a framework for guiding decisions about process when carrying out or facilitating some intervention. This paper describes such a framework, developed out of combining participatory rural appraisal (PRA) with various OR/systems methods, that we have used in work in both...

We investigate the robustness of the new foreclosure doctrine and its associated welfare implications to the introduction of incomplete information. In particular, we let the upstream firm’s marginal cost be private information, unknown to the downstream firms. The previous literature has...

Existing studies suggest that systemic crises may arise because banks either hold correlated assets, or are connected by interbank lending. This paper shows that common regulation is also a conduit for interbank contagion. One bank’s failure may undermine confidence in the banking...

We demonstrate an inherent conflict between ex ante efficient monitoring and liquidation decisions by outside claimholders. We show it can be useful to commit to inefficient liquidation when monitors fail to produce information: this provides stronger incentives to monitor. The implication for...

In repeated normal-form (simultaneous-move) games, simple penal codes (Abreu,1986, 1988) permit an elegant characterization of the set of subgame-perfect outcomes. We show that the logic of simple penal codes fails in repeated extensive-form games. By means of examples, we identify two types of...

In repeated normal-form (simultaneous-move) games, simple penal codes (Abreu, 1986, 1988) permit an elegant characterization of the set of subgame-perfect outcomes. We show that the logic of simple penal codes fails in repeated extensive-form games. By means of examples, we identify two types of...

We analyse a general equilibrium model in which there is both adverse selection of and moral hazard by banks. The regulator has two tools at her disposal to combat these problems - she can audit banks to learn their type prior to giving them a licence, and she can impose capital adequacy...