We consider an economy that has to decide how assets are to be used. Agents have ideas, but these ideas conflict. We suppose that decision-making authority is determined by hierarchy. Specifically, each asset has a chain of command, and the most senior person in the chain exercises authority. If...

In the last few years, a new area has emerged in economic theory, which goes under the heading of 'incomplete contracting.' However, almost since its inception, the theory has been under attack for its lack of rigorous foundations. In this paper, the authors evaluate some of the criticisms that...

There are two parts to this paper. Part One introduces the subject of implementation, and provides applications (in particular, to the theory of contracts). This part is written so as to be accessible to the general reader. Part Two surveys the literature, and is somewhat more formal.

In the last few years, a new area has emerged in economic theory, which goes under the heading of 'incomplete contracting'. However, almost since its inception, the theory has been under attack for its lack of rigorous foundations. In this paper we evaluate some of the criticisms that have been...