Game Theory Case Study

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The main aim of this paper is to define and explain the theoretical approach that is mainly concerned about the situation of conflict between market players; such approach is often referred to as ‘Game Theory’. This study will focus on critical examination of theoretical and practical implications that are linked with game theory and strategic-decision making process. Economic issues related with applying game theory in the real world environment will also be addressed. Game theory is built on assumptions and observations done by many academics and non-academics in the past but only started to receive an appropriate scholarly attention and were put into economical context in 20th Century. These will be explained in greater detail in the next section. Game theory is perceived as a tool for explaining and analysing problems of strategic interaction (Eatwell, Milgate, & Newman, 1989). As noted before, this theoretical approach is mainly involved in conflict situations, but it also considers situations in which the interests of the players are compatible, but due to communication problems, it is difficult to determine the proper course of action. The game is a decision-making situation, which involves more than one entity (player). Depending on the adopted strategy, player receives a specific payment, measured in units of utility (covering both monetary and qualitative units, such as convenience or satisfaction. A zero-sum game is the game where fixed gain of one player is the sum of loss of the other players. The properties and implications of zero-sum game was studied by John von Neumann in 1920s, who determined that each of these games always have some point of balance (Dixit & Nalebuff, 1993). Similarly John Nash determined tha... ... middle of paper ... ... behave in an unpredictable manner. (Aumann, 2000, p.139 ) has pointed that “full rationality is not such a bad assumption; it is a sort of idealization, like the ideas of perfect gas or frictionless motion; . . . no less valid than any other scientific idealization”. Theory of games is a useful tool in economics, but, like any tool, works predictably and effectively only in a given terms and timelines. As Ariel Rubinstein said “there were too many claims made by game theoreticians about its relevance” (An Interview with Ariel Rubinstein on Game Theory, 2012). Game theory cannot be considered as “philosopher’s stone”, and this is because the real market, society and mankind are an open and creative system, which cannot be matched with some finite set of rules, or get input data good enough to ensure that methods of game theory will act with mathematical accuracy.

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