Mandatory minimum contributions, heterogeneous endowments and voluntary public-good provision

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Keser, Claudia; Markstaedter, Andreas; Schmidt, Martin
• 署名单位: University of Gottingen; Helmholtz Association; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
• 刊物名称: GAMES AND ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0899-8256
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2016.06.001
• 发表日期: 2017
• 页码: 291-310
• 关键词: Experimental economics; public goods; Heterogeneous endowments; Mandatory minimum contributions; NORMS

摘要

In a public-good experiment with heterogeneous endowments, we investigate if and how the contribution level as well as the previously observed fair-share rule of equal contributions relative to one's endowment (Hofmeyr et al., 2007; Keser et al., 2014) are influenced by minimum-contribution requirements. We consider three different schedules: FixMin, requiring the same absolute contributions, RelMin, requiring the same relative contributions, and ProgMin, requiring minimum contributions that progressively increase with the endowment. We find that minimum contributions exert norm-giving character and may lead to an increase in average group contributions. This is especially true for the progressive schedule. On the individual level, this schedule leads to higher relative contributions by the wealthier players and thus violates the fair-share norm. On the group level, it leads to the highest contribution level and the lowest inequality in total profits as measured by the Gini index. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.