Choice of item pricing feedback schemes for multiple unit reverse combinatorial auctions

Recently, interest in combinatorial auctions has extended to include trade in multiple units of heterogeneous items. Combinatorial bidding is complex and iterative auctions are used to allow bidders to sequentially express their preferences with the aid of auction market information provided in the form of price feedbacks. There are different competing designs for the provision of item price feedbacks; however, most of these have not been thoroughly studied for multiple unit combinatorial auctions. This paper focuses on addressing this gap by evaluating several feedback schemes or algorithms in the context of multiple unit auctions. We numerically evaluate these algorithms under different scenarios that vary in bidder package selection strategies and in the degree of competition. We observe that auction outcomes are best when bidders use a naïve bidding strategy and competition is strong. Performance deteriorates significantly when bidders strategically select packages to maximize their profit. Finally, the performances of some algorithms are more sensitive to strategic bidding than others.     

Optimal bidding in auctions of mixed populations of bidders

A mixed population of bidders consists of two asymmetric groups. Members of the first group are game-theoretic players, who maximize their expected profit and incorrectly believe that their opponents act similarly. The second group of bidders adopts an irrational strategy: they either choose their bids randomly following a given probability distribution, in a “naïve” form of bidding, or follow a decision-theoretic approach, maximizing their expected profit under the assumption that all other bids are random. In a sealed bid private-value procurement auction we examine the optimal strategy of a new player, who has perfect knowledge of the structure of the mixed bidder population and enters the auction. The optimal bid of the new bidder is derived when the cost and mark-up follow a uniform distribution in [0, 1]. The effect of the relative size of the group of game-theoretic bidders and the population size on the optimal bid price is established.     

密封第一价格拍卖中的竞拍者串谋分析——基于“强”卡特尔的第一价格预拍

已有密封一价拍卖竞拍者串谋均衡研究中存在不符合现实的诸多约束,鉴于此,在串谋只包含部分竞拍者、串谋成员与非串谋尔成员间形成独立、非对称以及连续的价值分布并同时存在竞价策略互动的假设下,建立串谋方和非串谋方互动的竞价优化模型以及拍卖方的保留价格优化模型,得到串谋方和非串谋方的最优竞拍出价以及竞拍方的最优保留价格。结果表明串谋方和非串谋方的出价策略不仅与自身的估价、竞标人数、串谋人数相关,也与对方的估价存在关联性;拍卖方的最优保留价格设定与非串谋方和串谋方的价值分布存在关联。     

基于网上拍卖的共同价值托投标分析

基于信息不对称条件下的共同价值模型,刻画了网上拍卖过程中可能存在的托投标行为,并运用博弈理论结合竞价关系求解了竞标者的赢标概率和最优竞价策略．研究发现,在共同价值模型下,参与竞标的人数与嬴者诅咒的发生存在联系;在最高出价者赢标的概率模型基础上,分别建立了是否存在托投标行为时的竞标者收益模型,并求解了竞标者的均衡竞价策略．     

考虑全局投标者后悔心理行为的组合拍卖的投标均衡策略

许多实验研究表明投标者在拍卖过程中往往表现出预期后悔心理行为,并且投标者的预期后悔心理行为将会对投标策略产生影响,但以往大多是针对单物品拍卖研究考虑投标者后悔心理行为的投标均衡策略,而针对多物品拍卖情形的研究较少关注。本文着重研究了考虑投标者后悔心理行为的组合拍卖的投标均衡策略问题,在全局投标者存在预期后悔心理行为的假设下,依据Engelbrecht-Wiggans和Katok提出的后悔函数刻画了投标者的后悔心理行为,在此基础上,构建了组合拍卖模型,通过分析给出了全局投标者投标均衡策略需要满足的充分和必要条件。进一步地,依据构建的模型,通过数值实验分析了局部投标者人数、组合效应系数和全局投标者后悔参数对全局投标者投标策略的影响。最后,通过一个关于无线电频谱组合拍卖的算例说明了本文给出的模型及投标均衡策略确定方法的潜在应用和优越性。     

拍卖市场上不同经验类型竞价者竞价行为研究

研究公共价值拍卖市场上不同经验类型竞价者的竞价行为.根据拍卖经验的不同可以把竞价人分成两类:天真者和理性者.通过建立"天真-理性"的竞价模型,分析了天真者与理性者最优出价策略,得到了在价值信号均匀分布情况下,天真者的事前期望支付大于理性者的事前期望支付;并得到了天真者的进化比例.     

专利中介参与下的技术创新授权策略

考虑外部创新者向两个制造企业及专利中介(PI)拍卖提高质量的创新技术, 获胜者可对创新技术进行授权。基于Stackelberg博弈模型分析两企业的生产决策, 以及PI对市场的影响。研究发现:1)跟随企业在竞价中无法直接赢得专利; 2)若赢得专利, 领导企业只有在渐进式创新中授权给跟随企业, 而PI仅在根本性创新中授权给领导企业; 3)PI的存在会增加外部创新者的利润而降低领导企业的利润。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">km</Emphasis>th price sealed-bid auctions with general independent values and equilibrium linear mark-ups

A generalised bidding model is developed to calculate a bidder’s expected profit and auctioners expected revenue/payment for both a General Independent Value and Independent Private Value (IPV) kmth price sealed-bid auction (where the mth bidder wins at the kth bid payment) using a linear (affine) mark-up function. The Common Value (CV) assumption, and highbid and lowbid symmetric and asymmetric First Price Auctions and Second Price Auctions are included as special cases. The optimal n bidder symmetric analytical results are then provided for the uniform IPV and CV models in equilibrium. Final comments concern implications, the assumptions involved and prospects for further research.     

All-pay auctions with pre- and post-bidding options

Motivated by the emergence of online penny or pay-to-bid auctions, in this study, we analyze the operational consequences of all-pay auctions competing with fixed list price stores. In all-pay auctions, bidders place bids, and highest bidder wins. Depending on the auction format, the winner pays either the amount of their bid or that of the second-highest bid. All losing bidders forfeit their bids, regardless of the auction format. Bidders may visit the store, both before and after bidding, and buy the item at the fixed list price. In a modified version, we consider a setting where bidders can use their sunk bid as a credit towards buying the item from the auctioneer at a fixed price (different from the list price). We characterize a symmetric equilibrium in the bidding/buying strategy and derive optimal list prices for both the seller and auctioneer to maximize expected revenue. We consider two situations: (1) one firm operating both channels (i.e. fixed list price store and all-pay auction), and (2) two competing firms, each operating one of the two channels.     

Some inequalities related to the analysis of electricity auctions

Most balancing markets of electric power are organized as uniform-price auctions. In 2001, the balancing market of England and Wales switched to a pay-as-bid auction with the intention of reducing wholesale electricity prices. Numerical simulations of an electricity auction model have indicated that this should lead to decreased average prices. In this work we prove two inequalities which give an analytic proof of this claim in the same model.     

The auction algorithm for the transportation problem

The auction algorithm is a parallel relaxation method for solving the classical assignment problem. It resembles a competitive bidding process whereby unassigned persons bid simultaneously for objects, thereby raising their prices. Once all bids are in, objects are awarded to the highest bidder. This paper generalizes the auction algorithm to solve linear transportation problems. The idea is to convert the transportation problem into an assignment problem, and then to modify the auction algorithm to exploit the special structure of this problem. Computational results show that this modified version of the auction algorithm is very efficient for certain types of transportation problems.     

Designing sniping agents

Sniping agents are increasingly being deployed to assist bidders in acquiring items in online auctions. This paper reviews the extant auction literature and proposes an overarching sniping agent design framework that could potentially increase the commercial viability of snipping agents. For better alignment between the functions of sniping agents and the needs of human bidders, we review existing literature based on three fundamentals: (1) knowledge about human bidder behavior, (2) awareness of the product(s) desired by a bidder, and (3) an understanding of the research on bidding agents and auction design. The output of this review is the explicit consideration of iterative combinatorial auction agent design, fuzzy set representation of the bidder’s preferences and dynamic derivation of bidding strategies according to the progress of ongoing auctions.     

Models for capacity and electricity market design

The paper employs Operations Research methods for analysis of electricity and capacity markets. We provide two algorithms that determine the optimal capacity structure with account of fixed and variable costs. The first one relates to the case where there are several capacity types, and for each type the capacity constraint is not binding. The second algorithm is applicable when electricity is produced by standard small generators with the same capacity and different costs. Then we study two typical architectures of the market and examine their Nash equilibria. We consider a uniform price supply function auction in the electricity market. For pay-as-bid and uniform price versions of the capacity market design, we compare the equilibrium outcomes with the optimal capacity structure. The paper shows that the market equilibrium corresponds to the optimal capacity structure under conditions of pure competition, full rationality, and completely informed agents in the market. However, under more realistic assumptions, selection of the optimal structure is unlikely. Finally we provide the auction design that realizes such selection of capacities and does not require any additional information of each producer besides his own production costs. We establish sufficient conditions for perfect competition in the market.     

Day-ahead market bidding for a Nordic hydropower producer: taking the Elbas market into account

In many power markets around the world the energy generation decisions result from two-sided auctions in which producing and consuming agents submit their price-quantity bids. The determination of optimal bids in power markets is a complicated task that has to be undertaken every day. In the present work, we propose an optimization model for a price-taker hydropower producer in Nord Pool that takes into account the uncertainty in market prices and both production and physical trading aspects. The day-ahead bidding takes place a day before the actual operation and energy delivery. After this round of bidding, but before actual operation, some adjustments in the dispatched power (accepted bids) have to be done, due to uncertainty in prices, inflow and load. Such adjustments can be done in the Elbas market, which allows for trading physical electricity up to one hour before the operation hour. This paper uses stochastic programming to determine the optimal bidding strategy and the impact of the possibility to participate in the Elbas. ARMAX and GARCH techniques are used to generate realistic market price scenarios taking into account both day-ahead price and Elbas price uncertainty. The results show that considering Elbas when bidding in the day-ahead market does not significantly impact neither the profit nor the recommended bids of a typical hydro producer.     

Using bid data for the management of sequential,multi-unit,online auctions with uniformly distributed bidder valuations

Internet auctions for consumers’ goods are an increasingly popular selling venue. We have observed that many sellers, instead of offering their entire inventory in a single auction, split it into sequential auctions of smaller lots, thereby reducing the negative market impact of larger lots. Information technology also makes it possible to collect and analyze detailed bid data from online auctions. In this paper, we develop and test a new model of sequential online auctions to explore the potential benefits of using real bid data from earlier auctions to improve the management of future auctions. Assuming a typical truth-revealing auction model, we quantify the effect of the lot size on the closing price and derive a closed-form solution for the problem of allocating inventory across multiple auctions when bidder valuation distributions are known. We also develop a decision methodology for allocating inventory across multiple auctions that dynamically incorporates the results of previous auctions as feedback into the management of subsequent auctions, and updating the lot size and number of auctions. We demonstrate how information signals from previous auctions can be used to update the auctioneer’s beliefs about the customers’ valuation distribution, and then to significantly increase the seller’s profit potential. We use several examples to reveal the benefits of using detailed transaction data for the management of sequential, multi-unit, online auctions and we demonstrate how these benefits are influenced by the inventory holding costs, the number of bidders, and the dispersion of consumers’ valuations.     

Stochastic models for bidding strategies on oligopoly electricity market

In this paper we consider the forward/futures contracts and Asian-type call options for power delivery as important components of the bidding strategies of the players’ profits on the electricity market. We show how these derivatives can affect their profit. We use linear asymmetric supply function equilibrium (SFE) and Cournot models to develop firms’ optimal bidding strategies by including forward/futures contracts and Asian-type options. We extend the methodology proposed by Niu et al. (IEEE Trans Power Syst 20(4):1859–1867, 2005), where only forward contracts for power delivery were considered in the SFE model.     

Study on economic withholding in electricity market of Zhejiang Province,China

Power suppliers with market power intend to bid high-price to obtain excessive profit when intensions in the balance of electricity supply and demand emerge. New index is thus necessary to be defined to assess the economic withholding behavior associated with both bidding prices and corresponding bidding capacity. Stages of low price section, economic withholding section and reasonable adventure section were classified in this paper. Based on bidding prices and capacity, absolute index and relative index were proposed to measure the economic withholding degree, with the former used for estimation of the total power system while the latter for comparisons amongst different units. A case study on Zhejiang electricity market indicated that these two proposed indices can accurately assess the economic withholding behavior in the electricity market. Finally, upper limit was suggested to be set for the relative index to suppress the behavior of excessive bidding prices in short of capacity.     

基于价格歧视策略的多单元逆向多属性英式拍卖机制

针对现有的多单元逆向多属性拍卖机制的市场分配效率都比较低,不利于社会效益最大化和采购双方长期合作等问题,设计了高效率的基于价格歧视策略的多单元逆向多属性英式拍卖机制,利用线性混合整数规划建立了赢者确定模型,并基于新建立的拍卖机制给出了拍卖流程和投标策略,为供应商提供投标决策支持。然后通过设计数值实例和对比模拟实验收集数据,采取统计分析的方法验证了新设计的拍卖机制市场分配效率和采购方的效益都比较高。上述研究结果适用于通过逆向多属性拍卖与信息技术相结合的网上自动化多单元商品采购。     

A sequential auction involving asymmetrically-informed bidders

An example is given of a sequential auction in which, at equilibrium, the expected profit of an informed bidder may be strictly less than the expected profit of an uninformed bidder. This phenomenon is interpreted in terms of the internal game between a player's “types” which arises in a setting of incomplete information.     

多维信息招标下招标代理机构与投标方串谋的博弈模型及分析

在项目业主不具备自行招标能力的工程招标中,招标代理机构利用代理权设租并与投标方串谋的现象屡禁不止.在多维信息招标相关理论基础上构建了招标代理方与行贿投标方串谋的博弈模型,求解了腐败存在下的最优招标机制、均衡腐败金以及均衡腐败概率,分析了腐败概率的影响因素.研究表明调查力度、惩罚力度的加强以及行贿投标方的实际综合质量水平的提高有利于降低腐败发生的概率,而投标方数量的增加可能会促进腐败的发生.