Keep on fighting: The dynamics of head starts in all-pay auctions

Derek J. Clark and Tore Nilssen ()

Games and Economic Behavior, 2018, vol. 110, issue C, 258-272

Abstract: We investigate a model of a series of contests in which a contestant's past and present success gives a head start over a rival in the future. How this advantage from winning affects contestants' efforts, whether the laggard gives up or keeps on fighting, and how the head start develops over time, are key issues. We find that the expected effort of the laggard will always be higher than the rival at some stage in the series of contests, and this is most likely to happen when at a large disadvantage or at a late stage in the series.

Keywords: Contest; All-pay auction; Win advantage; Head start (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 D74 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:110:y:2018:i:c:p:258-272

DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2018.05.005

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