skip to main content

Social and Information Sciences Laboratory (SISL) Seminar

Friday, November 16, 2018
12:00pm to 1:00pm
Add to Cal
Baxter 125
Random versus Directed Search with Constrained Capacity
Tewodros (Teddy) Mekonnen, Postdoctoral Scholar in Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Caltech ,

Abstract: In this paper, I study the welfare effects of adverse selection and congestion in search markets with constrained capacity or limited entry. Agents with homogeneous preferences search for objects of heterogeneous types either through random or directed search. Random search—agents are randomly matched to any type—gives rise to adverse selection, while directed search—agents choose with which types to match—gives rise to congestion. I show that random search dominates directed search in terms of welfare, even though each agent would prefer to be able to direct her search.

For more information, please contact Mary Martin by phone at 626-395-5884 or by email at [email protected].