Uncertainty, Asymmetric Information and Bilateral Contracts

Abstract

The paper considers a bilateral monopoly with uncertainty and asymmetric information, and characterizes necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of contracts that are efficient and incentive compatible. These contracts can be implemented by a truthful sequential revelation mechanism. Alternatively, they can be interpreted as specifying a class of payment schedules, designating the seller to choose a schedule from this class, and the buyer to pick a point on the chosen schedule. Requirements contracting is similar.