Mechanism Design under Unawareness -- Extended Abstract

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Pram, Kym, Schipper, Burkhard C.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Pram, Kym
Schipper, Burkhard C.
author_facet Pram, Kym
Schipper, Burkhard C.
contents We study the design of mechanisms under asymmetric awareness and information. While the mechanism designer cannot necessarily commit to a particular social choice function in the face of unawareness, she can at least commit to properties of social choice functions such as efficiency given ex post awareness. Assuming quasi-linear utilities and private values, we show that we can implement in conditional dominant strategies a social choice function that is utilitarian ex post efficient under pooled awareness without the need of the social planner being fully aware ex ante. To this end, we develop novel dynamic versions of Vickrey-Clarke-Groves mechanisms in which true types are revealed and subsequently elaborated at endogenous higher awareness levels. We explore how asymmetric awareness affects budget balance and participation constraints. We show that ex ante unforeseen contingencies are no excuse for deficits. Finally, we propose a dynamic elaboration reverse second price auction for efficient procurement of complex incompletely specified projects with budget balance and participation constraints.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_22369
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Mechanism Design under Unawareness -- Extended Abstract
Pram, Kym
Schipper, Burkhard C.
Computer Science and Game Theory
Multiagent Systems
We study the design of mechanisms under asymmetric awareness and information. While the mechanism designer cannot necessarily commit to a particular social choice function in the face of unawareness, she can at least commit to properties of social choice functions such as efficiency given ex post awareness. Assuming quasi-linear utilities and private values, we show that we can implement in conditional dominant strategies a social choice function that is utilitarian ex post efficient under pooled awareness without the need of the social planner being fully aware ex ante. To this end, we develop novel dynamic versions of Vickrey-Clarke-Groves mechanisms in which true types are revealed and subsequently elaborated at endogenous higher awareness levels. We explore how asymmetric awareness affects budget balance and participation constraints. We show that ex ante unforeseen contingencies are no excuse for deficits. Finally, we propose a dynamic elaboration reverse second price auction for efficient procurement of complex incompletely specified projects with budget balance and participation constraints.
title Mechanism Design under Unawareness -- Extended Abstract
topic Computer Science and Game Theory
Multiagent Systems
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.22369