9th Annual Workshop on Relational Contracts
The 9th annual Workshop on Relational Contracts Conference combined theoretical, empirical, and real-world perspectives from several disciplines. In addition to papers from economists, the workshop feature comments from lawyers working on relational contracts and contractual governance. Keynotes were be delivered by Ray Reagans from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brian Silverman from the University of Toronto. The workshop also featured a panel that included a leading economist, Bob Gibbons and a leading Chicago practicing lawyer, Brad Peterson.
One objective of this Workshop was to identify interesting yet underappreciated real-world features of relational contracts that will enrich scholars’ understanding of this phenomenon and provide novel insights for theoretical modeling. A second objective was to encourage scholars of relational contracts in different areas and disciplines to collaborate.
Agenda
Registration & Breakfast
Welcome Remarks
Session I: Theory of the Firm
Marta Troya Martinez, New Economic School (Session Chair)
The Firms as a Nexus of Relational Contracts
Michael Wong, University of Hong Kong (Presenter)
Employee or Contractor? A Theory of the Labor Boundaries of the Firm
Michael Raith, University of Rochester (Presenter)
Discussion
Anthony Casey, University of Chicago (Commentator)
Joel Watson, University of California, San Diego (Commentator)
Q&A
Break
Relationships in the Wild: How Institutions Affect the Governance of Firms
Giorgio Zanarone, HEC Lausanne (Presenter)
Discussion
Dan Barron, Northwestern University (Commentator)
Q&A
Lunch
Keynote
Brian Silverman, University of Toronto
Break
Session II: Empirical Relational Contracts
Adriana Roberston, University of Chicago (Session Chair)
Relational Contracts in Well Functioning Markets: Evidence from China’s Vegetable Markets
Yujing Song, Peking University (Presenter)
Long Term Relations and the Spot Market: Evidence from US Trucking
Thi Mai Nguyen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Presenter)
Discussion
Nicholas Argyres, Washington University, St. Louis (Commentator)
David Miller, University of Michigan (Commentator)
Q&A
Break
Contract Enforcement in a Stateless Economy
Sultan Mehmood, New Economic School (Presenter)
Discussion
Henrik Lando, Copenhagen Business School (Commentator)
Q&A
Workshop Adjourns
Conference Dinner
Ascione Bistro (Invited guests only)
1500 E 55th Street Chicago IL 60615
Registration & Breakfast
Roundtable Discussion: Theory, Practice, and the Future of Relational Contracts Scholarship
Robert Gibbons, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Brad Peterson, Mayer Brown
Lisa Bernstein, University of Chicago (Moderator)
Break
Keynote
Lunch
Located in University A
Session III: Political Economy
Giorgio Zanarone, HEC Lausanne (Session Chair)
Which Side are You On? Interest Groups and Relational Contracts
Alvaro Delgado-Vega, ETH Zurich (Presenter)
Eric Brousseau Paris-Dauphine University (Commentator)
Q&A
An Organizational Theory of Political Parties
Spencer Pantoja, Stanford University (Presenter)
Davin Raiha, University of Notre Dame (Commentator)
Q&A
Break
Shaping Institutions
William Fuchs, University of Texas at Austin (Presenter)
Scott Gehlbach, University of Chicago (Commentator)