Group dynamics in experimental studies--The Bertrand Paradox revisited

Lisa Bruttel

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2009, vol. 69, issue 1, 51-63

Abstract: Different information provision in experimental markets can drastically change subjects' behavior. Considering the repeated Bertrand duopoly game of Dufwenberg and Gneezy [Dufwenberg, M., Gneezy's, U., 2000. Price competition and market concentration: an experimental study. International Journal of Industrial Organization 18, 7-22.], we find that population feedback about the prices in other markets outside a subjects' own current market causes group dynamics that prevent prices from convergence to Nash equilibrium. Limited information comprising only the decisions of a subject's own opponent, in contrast, leads to competitive behavior. When we extend the number of periods from 10 to 25 in the full information treatment (FULL) we observe a very robust cyclical up and down movement of prices. We can explain tacit coordination in our experiment with an extended learning direction model and leadership by example.

Keywords: Bertrand; duopoly; Tacit; collusion; Learning; Leadership; by; example; Experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (29)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:69:y:2009:i:1:p:51-63

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