Spoilers, blocking coalitions, and the core

Keywords

core allocations, coalition, economy

Abstract

This paper surveys non-cooperative implementations of the core which tell an intuitive story of coalition formation. Under the core solution concept, if a blocking coalition exists those agents abandon the current allocation without regard for the consequences to players outside the blocking coalition. Yet in certain circumstances, these players have an incentive to prevent formation of any blocking coalition; a game analyzed in Lagunoff (Games Econ Behav 7:54–61, 1994) is vulnerable to such circumstances. To obtain all core allocations and only core allocations, a mechanism must either restrict the actions of non-members of a proposed coalition, or ensure that non-members are unharmed by the departure of the coalition. These requirements illustrate the core’s nonchalance toward agents not in blocking coalitions.

Original Publication Citation

“Spoilers, Blocking Coalitions, and the Core,” by Brennan Platt. Social Choice and Welfare. 33:361-381, September 2009.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2009-9

Publisher

Social Choice and Welfare

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Economics

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Link to Full Text

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