A PENALTY FUNCTION METHOD FOR THE PRINCIPAL-AGENT PROBLEM WITH AN INFINITE NUMBER OF INCENTIVE-COMPATIBILITY CONSTRAINTS UNDER MORAL HAZARD

In this paper,we propose an iterative algorithm to find the optimal incentive mechanism for the principal-agent problem under moral hazard where the number of agent action profiles is infinite,and where there are an infinite number of results that can be observed by the principal.This principal-agent problem has an infinite number of incentive-compatibility constraints,and we transform it into an optimization problem with an infinite number of constraints called a semi-infinite programming problem.We then propose an exterior penalty function method to find the optimal solution to this semi-infinite programming and illustrate the convergence of this algorithm.By analyzing the optimal solution obtained by the proposed penalty function method,we can obtain the optimal incentive mechanism for the principal-agent problem with an infinite number of incentive-compatibility constraints under moral hazard.

Bi-Level Programming for the Optimal Nonlinear Distance-Based Transit Fare Structure Incorporating Principal-Agent Game

The urban transit fare structure and level can largely affect passengers’travel behavior and route choices.The commonly used transit fare policies in the present transit network would lead to the unbalanced transit assignment and improper transit resources distribution.In order to distribute transit passenger flow evenly and efficiently,this paper introduces a new distance-based fare pattern with Euclidean distance.A bi-level programming model is developed for determining the optimal distance-based fare pattern,with the path-based stochastic transit assignment(STA)problem with elastic demand being proposed at the lower level.The upper-level intends to address a principal-agent game between transport authorities and transit enterprises pursing maximization of social welfare and financial interest,respectively.A genetic algorithm(GA)is implemented to solve the bi-level model,which is verified by a numerical example to illustrate that the proposed nonlinear distance-based fare pattern presents a better financial performance and distribution effect than other fare structures.

SCM Implementation Decisions of Principal-Agent under Asymmetric Information

The optimization investment policy decision of SCM-Supply Chain Management-implementation has been analysed under symmetric and asymmetric information conditions. For both conditions, SCM implementation options’ decision optimizing models have been developed. In these models, both clients and vendors try to pursue their own benefits. Based upon the principal-agent theory, the models show to what extent a principal (a client) needs to pay more to an agent (a vendor) in a context of asymmetric information. For the client, it is important to understand the extra costs to be able to adopt effective strategies to stimulate a vendor to perform an optimal implementation of a SCM system. The results of a simulation experiment regarding SCM implementation options illustrate and verify the theoretical findings and confirm the general notion that the less informed party is obliged to pay information rent to the better-informed party.

Design of Principal-agent Incentive Mechanism between Government and NPO

Based on principal-agent theory,this paper establishes an incentive contract mechanism between government and NPO under asymmetric information,and analyzes the impact of absolute risk aversion and output level on the expected utility of government,NPO and society.Research shows that risk aversion is negatively correlated with the expected utility of government,NPO and society.The output coefficient is positively correlated with the expected utility of government,NPO and society.Reducing absolute risk aversion,increasing output coefficient and increasing government incentives can effectively motivate NPO to actively participate in social rescue activities.

SHORT COMMUNICATION Principal-agent Relationships: A Note on Biomass Depletion

Public authorities frequently mandate public or private agencies to manage their renewable natural resources.Contrary to the agency,which is an expert in renewable natural resource management,public authorities usually ignore the sustainable level of harvest.In this note,we first model the contractual relationship between a principal,who owns the renewable natural resource,and an agent,who holds private information on its sustainable level of harvest.We then look for the Pareto-optimal allocations.In the situation of an imperfect information setting,we find that the Pareto-optimal contracting depends on the probability that the harvesting level stands outside the sustainability interval.The information rent held by the agent turns out to be unavoidable,such that stepping outside the sustainability interval implies the possibility of depletion of the renewable natural resource.This,in turn,compromises the maintenance of the ecological balance in natural ecosystems.

Incentive regulation of banks on third party logistics enterprises in principal-agent-based inventory financing

In inventory financing,asymmetric information between banks and the third party logistics enterprises may incur moral risks,often causing economic losses of banks.To effectively solve this problem,a pure incentive scheme and a regulatory incentive scheme are designed with the principal-agent theory.By comparison,it is found that the pure incentive model is not applicable to practical conditions,and regulatory incentive model can not only solve practical problems substantially but also outbalance pure incentive model under certain conditions.The research results from example analysis given in this paper offer theoretical instruction and a practical method for effective regulation of banks.

Optimal Contract for the Principal-Agent Under Knightian Uncertainty

Under the Knightian uncertainty,this paper constructs the optimal principal(he)-agent(she)contract model based on the principal’s expected profit and the agent’s expected utility function by using the sublinear expectation theory.The output process in the model is provided by the agent’s continuous efforts and the principal cannot directly observe the agent’s efforts.In the process of work,risk-averse agent will have the opportunity to make external choices.In order to promote the agent’s continuous efforts,the principal will continuously provide the agents with consumption according to the observable output process after the probation period.In this paper,the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation is deduced by using the optimality principle under sublinear expectation while the smoothness viscosity condition of the principal-agent optimal contract is given.Moreover,the continuation value of the agent is taken as the state variable to characterize the optimal expected profit of the principal,the agent’s effort and the consumption level under different degrees of Knightian uncertainty.Finally,the behavioral economics is used to analyze the simulation results.The research findings are that the increasing Knightian uncertainty incurs the decline of the principal’s maximum profit;within the probation period,the increasing Knightian uncertainty leads to the shortening of probation period and makes the agent give higher effort when she faces the outside option;what’s more,after the smooth completion of the probation period for the agent,the agent’s consumption level will rise and her effort level will drop as Knightian uncertainty increasing.

Strategic Contracting for Software Upgrade Outsourcing in Industry 4.0

The advent of Industry 4.0 has compelled businesses to adopt digital approaches that combine software toenhance production efficiency. In this rapidly evolving market, software development is an ongoing process thatmust be tailored to meet the dynamic needs of enterprises. However, internal research and development can beprohibitively expensive, driving many enterprises to outsource software development and upgrades to externalservice providers. This paper presents a software upgrade outsourcing model for enterprises and service providersthat accounts for the impact of market fluctuations on software adaptability. To mitigate the risk of adverseselection due to asymmetric information about the service provider’s cost and asymmetric information aboutthe enterprise’s revenues, we propose pay-per-time and revenue-sharing contracts in two distinct informationasymmetry scenarios. These two contracts specify the time and transfer payments for software upgrades. Througha comparative analysis of the optimal solutions under the two contracts and centralized decision-making withfull-information, we examine the characteristics of the solutions under two information asymmetry scenarios andanalyze the incentive effects of the two contracts on the various stakeholders. Overall, our study offers valuableinsights for firms seeking to optimize their outsourcing strategies and maximize their returns on investment insoftware upgrades.

制造型企业供应链的冲突机理及多agent系统的研究

文章从理论上研究了制造型企业供应链的信息不对称问题 ,分析了供应链中的冲突机理和principal -agent问题的特点。而后从供应链信息协调的角度研究了多agent系统在供应链协调中的应用 。

A Study on the Multi-Task Incentive Mechanism for the Service Provider

Both conflict and asymmetric information exist betweenthe telecom operators and the service provider,and result in illegal behaviors of the service provider.The relationship between the telecom operators andthe service provider is classical multi-task principalagentrelationship. The multi-task incentive for theservice provider is considered in the design of theprincipal-agent incentive contract, and it is necessaryto add the multi-task incentive to the serviceproviders through the analysis of the risk costs andthe agency costs of this problem.

Effective Incentive and Discipline Mechanisms for Top manage-ment in SOEs

Key to energize State-Owned-Enterprises (hereinafter SOEs) is to set up effective incentive and discipline mechanisms. First of all, the paper analyses the problems existing in the current incentive and discipline mechanism system in SOEs, including low transparency income and considerable covert income, insider control,corporate governance nominalization and so on; next,the paper explores the causes behind these problems,such as incomplete corporate governance and imperfect market mechanism; finally, the paper proposes a series of solutions from the aspects of incentive mechanism and discipline mechanism.

Heterogeneous responsibilities of three grassland resource governance modes in Inner Mongolia, China

Grassland resource governance is an important part of ecological civilization construction,and it directly af‐fects grassland governance performance.This study deploys principal-agent theory and uses social network analysis to compare grassland resource governance modes in China in terms of institutional settings and insti‐tutional network characteristics.This study found three types of grassland resource governance modes:self-designed,docked,and integrated.The self-designed mode forms a network structure with dual centers and multiple members,and has the second-best structural mode of the three types.The docked mode forms a net‐work structure with a single center in which the institution is the absolute core and is relatively divergent.It has the weakest structural advantage of the three types.The integrated mode forms a network structure with a single institution at the core and other institutions distributed evenly throughout the structure.This mode has the strongest structural advantage among the three types.This study offers the practical application of improv‐ing the practice of grassland governance in China and is theoretically significant because it can contribute to improving grassland governance modes and enriching the public goods resources governance.

Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Challenge to Clinical Science and Health Policy

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has been improving human health for millennia.And for that,it has gradually gained the attention of the global scientific community.TCM clinical research progresses,but slowly.I see it as being held back by perverse incentive structures in science and regulatory politics.

Understanding how heterogeneous agents affect Principal's returns:Perspectives from short-termism and Bayesian learning

We consider a general framework of optimal contract design under the heterogeneity and short-termism of agents.Our research shows that the optimal contract must weigh the agent's information rent,incentive cost,and benefit to overcome the contract's adverse selection and moral hazards.Agents with higher moral levels were more likely to choose higher effort and lower manipulation.Simultaneously,the principal offers lower incentives and receives more significant payoff.We also extend our model to investigate the benefits of Bayesian learning.Furthermore,we compare the principal's returns in general and learning models and find that the learning contract can bring more profit to the principal。

契约显性激励与声誉隐性激励的比较研究——以建筑承包商为例

工程质量体现着建筑承包商对业主和社会的信誉与责任,由于承包商掌握更多在建工程项目的相关信息,而业主和公众处于信息弱势的状态,信息的不对称可能导致承包商为追求自身利益而做出不利于业主的行为。因此,建立有效的激励机制是保障投资者经济利益和工程项目用户财产与生命安全的关键。基于委托-代理理论和博弈论,建立相关数学模型,分析比较了建筑承包商作为代理人,在与委托人签订契约的显性激励与市场声誉的隐性激励下的效用函数,得到有效激励实现的条件和提高激励效应的途径,指出声誉的隐性激励与契约的显性激励机制相结合作用的合理性与优越性,对如何有效地建立委托-代理关系下建筑承包商的激励机制提出对策建议。

SCM Implementation Decisions Under Asymmetric Information: An Agency Approach

The optimization investment policy decision of SCM-supply chain management-implementation has been analysed under symmetric and asymmetric information conditions.For both conditions,SCM implementation optional decision optimizing models have been developed.In these models,both clients and vendors try to pursue their own benefits.Based upon the principal-agent theory,the models show to what extent a principal(a client)needs to pay more to an agent(a vendor)in a context of asymmetric information.For the client it is important to understand the extra costs to be able to adopt effective strategies to stimulate a vendor to perform an optimal implementation of a SCM system.The results of a simulation experiment regarding SCM implementation options illustrate and verify the theoretical findings and confirm the general notion that the less informed party is obliged to pay information rent to the better-informed party.

Agent's Optimal Compensation Under Inflation Risk by Using Dynamic Contract Model

This paper studies the problem of principal-agent with moral hazard in continuous time.The firm’s cash flow is described by geometric Brownian motion(hereafter GBM).The agent affects the drift of the firm’s cash flow by her hidden effort.Meanwhile,the firm rewards the agent with corresponding compensation and equity which depend on the output.The model extends dynamic optimal contract theory to an inflation environment.Firstly,the authors obtain the dynamic equation of the firm’s real cash flow under inflation by using the It?formula.Then,the authors use the martingale representation theorem to obtain agent’s continuation value process.Moreover,the authors derive the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman(HJB)equation of investor’s value process,from which the authors derive the investors’scaled value function by solving the second-order ordinary differential equation.Comparing with He;,the authors find that inflation risk affects the agent’s optimal compensation depending on the firm’s position in the market.

Corruption,state capture,and the effectiveness of anticorruption agency in post-communist Ethiopia

In 2001,Ethiopia established a centralised anti-corruption agency(ACA),the Federal Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission(FEACC),purportedly to be used for curbing the rampant corruption.By the government’s repeated admissions,corruption continues to engulf the country,indicating the failure of the FEACC to curb corruption.Various researchers attribute the FEACC’s failures to curb corruption to a host of reasons.This article follows a different route to show why the FEACC was doomed to fail from the outset.We show that the war against corruption in Ethiopia collapsed mainly because of mischaracterisation of the nature of corruption in the country and how the FEACC was established–a conventional anti-corruption agency for a nonconventional problem of corruption.We deploy some testable hypotheses to explore the scenarios under which an anticorruption agency would be effective.Drawing from the corruption literature of post-communist countries,the article shows that corrupt Ethiopian practices can easily be subsumed under an extreme version of the highest form of corruption known as state capture.The article then moves onto unpacking the systemic and predatory nature of the Ethiopian corruption conundrum and how the FEACC approached in tackling it.Doing so allows us to illustrate the endogenous nature of the country’s corruption patterns and why a traditional ACA is incapable of tackling a state-driven patronage.It also lays out the flawed structures and practices of the FEACC showing why,under a state-crafted corruption conundrum,the FEACC was doomed to fail from the start.The article concludes by illustrating the detrimental effects of using the agency as a political weapon to neutralise the ruling party’s political opponents as well as the failure of the war against corruption.It calls for a different approach in combating the Ethiopian systemic corruption,a governance regime change being one of them.

Understanding the deterrence effect of punishment for marine information security policies non-compliance

In the organizational setting of marine engineering,a significant number of information security incidents have been arised from the employees’failure to comply with the information security policies(ISPs).This may be treated as a principal-agent problem with moral hazard between the employer and the employee for the practical compliance effort of an employee is not observable without high cost-.On the other hand,according to the deterrence theory,the employer and the employee are inherently self-interested beings.It is worth examining to what extent the employee is self-interested in the marine ISPs compliance context.Moreover,it is important to clarify the proper degree of severity of punishment in terms of the deterrent effect.In this study,a marine ISPs compliance game model has been proposed to evaluate the deterrence effect of punishment on the non-compliance behavior of employee individuals.It is found that in a non-punishment contract,the employee will decline to comply with the marine ISPs;but in a punishment contract,appropriate punishment will lead her to select the marine ISPs compliance effort level expected by the employer,and cause no potential backfire effect.