Non-monotonic group-size effect in repeated provision of public goods

Chengsi Wang and Galina Zudenkova ()

European Economic Review, 2016, vol. 89, issue C, 116-128

Abstract: This paper analyzes the effect of a change in group size on incentives to contribute in repeated provision of pure public goods. We develop a model in which group members interact repeatedly, and might be temporarily unable to contribute to public goods production during some periods. We show that an increase in the group size generates two opposite effects – the standard free-riding effect that suppresses cooperation, and the novel large-scale effect that enhances cooperation. Our results indicate that the former effect dominates in relatively large groups while the latter dominates in relatively small groups. We, therefore, provide a rationale for a non-monotonic group-size effect that may explain previous empirical and experimental findings.

Keywords: Pure public goods; Repeated game; Non-monotonic group-size effect (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D73 H40 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:89:y:2016:i:c:p:116-128

DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2016.06.008

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