Game theory explores the art of how people make decisions in situations where their choices affect each other. Learn core game theory frameworks through practical application-based learning to transform your and your organization’s performance. With the increasing complexity of today’s world, game theory offers valuable frameworks and tools to navigate uncertainty and establish scientific rigor for strategy. Today, game theory has applications across businesses (advertising, digital markets, mergers and acquisitions, cartels, innovation etc.) along with policy.
This course on game theory is developed based on courses being offered at IIMA for the past several years by Prof Viswanath Pingali, an award-winning faculty member at IIMA.
This course emphasizes an intuitive approach to game theory rather than focusing on quantitative techniques. This course helps you acquire a competitive edge through enhanced strategic thinking, structured problem-solving, and optimal decision-making in complex situations., The course also discusses behavioral economics insights, where applicable.
We try and answer a few questions (not exclusive):
(1) Why do price wars happen?
(2) What is the problem of commons, and what are its implications for the climate change debate?
(3) How do modern businesses operate and what are some implications?
(4) Why is culture at firms and economies so difficult to change?
(5) What is the unicorn mania that is dominating today’s conversation?
(6) Why did some companies offer much larger warranty than the market norm?
(7) Why is winning risky in markets with uncertainty and how could information asymmetry lead to
market failure?
This module aims to introduce you to the game theory course. It introduces you to some real-life questions that you can solve by using the concepts we will learn over the course. Following this, the course introduces you to the idea of a game and to some simple games. Subsequently, the module explores the most famous game in game theory: Prisoners’ Dilemma, where smart people find no incentive to cooperate with each other. The module further explores some real-life examples of prisoners’ dilemma. All learning components will be updated upon the official launch of the course
Recommended Reading: The Art of Strategy by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff (Chapter 3)•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Median Voter Theorem•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Level K Thinking•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: The Travelers’ Dilemma•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Level K Thinking Experiments•10 Minuten
4 Aufgaben•Insgesamt 64 Minuten
Graded Quiz•40 Minuten
Practice Quiz•6 Minuten
Practice Quiz•9 Minuten
Practice Quiz•9 Minuten
Week 2: Nash Equilibrium
Modul 2•6 Stunden abzuschließen
Moduldetails
This module introduces you to the famous concept of Nash Equilibrium. What do you do when there is no Dominant Strategy or Dominated Strategies? Where do thought processes converge? This module further explores several interesting phenomena like Stag Hunt, Battle of Sexes, and Hawk Dove Games. We will explore why some inefficient outcomes happen despite all the players knowing that they are suboptimal. We will also explore questions like whether equilibrium means efficient.
All learning components will be updated upon the official launch of the course
Das ist alles enthalten
17 Videos17 Lektüren5 Aufgaben1 Diskussionsthema
Infos zu Modulinhalt anzeigen
17 Videos•Insgesamt 90 Minuten
What is the Idea of Nash Equilibrium?•6 Minuten
A Simple Illustration of of Nash Equilibrium?•6 Minuten
Stag Hunt – Does Equilibrium mean Efficient Outcome?•8 Minuten
Battle of Sexes – Does Equilibrium mean Equality?•5 Minuten
Hawk-Dove – Does Equilibrium mean Playing Symmetric Strategies?•5 Minuten
Stag Hunt and Development of Economies•7 Minuten
Digital Markets - Stag Hunt and Single Homing•5 Minuten
Digital Markets - Stag Hunt and Multi Homing•6 Minuten
Digital Markets – Some Recent Issues •5 Minuten
Competing with Rivals in Coordination Games •3 Minuten
Inequality Inherent in Equilibrium•4 Minuten
Introduction to Mixed Strategies •4 Minuten
Mixed Strategies: Zero Sum Games •4 Minuten
Expected Values and Mixed Strategies•5 Minuten
Computing Mixed Strategies •6 Minuten
Behavioral Aspects to Mixed Strategies •6 Minuten
Action Bias and Mixed Strategies •4 Minuten
17 Lektüren•Insgesamt 168 Minuten
Reference Watch: Simulating the Evolution of Aggression•14 Minuten
Essential Reading: Climate Change and Nash Equilibrium•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Coordination Games•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: The Tower of Babel as a Coordination Game: Political Linguistics in Ghana•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Review of 'Why Nations Fail'•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Dynamics of two-sided internet markets•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Small Firms and Digital Platforms•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Are User Shares Indicative of Market Power?•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Small Businesses and Digital Platforms•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Google Antitrust Lawsuit•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: The Art of Strategy by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff (Chapter 4)•10 Minuten
Reference Watch: Memorable Movie Death•4 Minuten
Essential Reading: Rock Paper Scissors Game•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Behavioral Strategies and Randomness •10 Minuten
Essential Reading: The Case of Penalty Kicks in Soccer•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Minimax Play at Wimbledon•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: The Art of Strategy by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff (Chapter 5)•10 Minuten
5 Aufgaben•Insgesamt 67 Minuten
Graded Quiz•40 Minuten
Practice Quiz•9 Minuten
Practice Quiz
•6 Minuten
Practice Quiz•3 Minuten
Practice Quiz•9 Minuten
1 Diskussionsthema•Insgesamt 10 Minuten
What is your Strategy in Rock, Paper, Scissors?•10 Minuten
Week 3: Sequential Games
Modul 3•5 Stunden abzuschließen
Moduldetails
This module introduces you to the games that are sequential in nature. That is, we look at the cases where players alternate in their moves. Further, there are cases where games repeat themselves. We will look further at when we can expect competitors to cooperate in a prisoners’ dilemma situation. We will also explore some interesting games such as the ultimatum game and the trust game.
All learning components will be updated upon the official launch of the course
Das ist alles enthalten
15 Videos15 Lektüren5 Aufgaben
Infos zu Modulinhalt anzeigen
15 Videos•Insgesamt 82 Minuten
Basics of Backward Induction•6 Minuten
Analyzing Backward Induction: Centipede Game •5 Minuten
Backward Induction: Ultimatum Game •6 Minuten
Behavior and Ultimatum Games •5 Minuten
Emotions and Ultimatum Games •6 Minuten
Trust Games•6 Minuten
What Happens When there is No Intellectual Property? •5 Minuten
Backward Induction and Innovation•6 Minuten
Arguments against Intellectual Property•6 Minuten
Rare Diseases and Backward Induction•3 Minuten
What Happens when Prisoners’ Dilemma is Repeated Finitely? •7 Minuten
Introduction to Tit-For-Tat in Large Repetitions •5 Minuten
Outlook of the Future and Cooperation •5 Minuten
What does Cooperation Entail? •4 Minuten
The Economics of Cartels•8 Minuten
15 Lektüren•Insgesamt 160 Minuten
Essential Reading: Backward Induction•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Ultimatum Game•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: The Art of Strategy by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff (Chapter 6)•10 Minuten
Reference Watch: Two Monkeys were Paid Unequally•3 Minuten
Essential Reading: Ultimatum Game•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Social Preferences and the Brain•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Why Intellectual Property is Essential for your Business•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Hypotheses on Intellectual Property and Inequality•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Understanding Evergreening of Patents in the Pharmaceutical Industry•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Balancing Affordability and Availability in a Drug Patent Regime•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Rare Diseases •10 Minuten
Reference Game: The Evolution of Trust•10 Minuten
Reference Watch: Axelrod’s Experiments•27 Minuten
Essential Reading: The Prisoner's Dilemma•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: What Determines Cartel Success?•10 Minuten
5 Aufgaben•Insgesamt 76 Minuten
Graded Quiz•40 Minuten
Practice Quiz•9 Minuten
Practice Quiz•9 Minuten
Practice Quiz•9 Minuten
Practice Quiz•9 Minuten
Week 4: Games when there is Uncertainty in Information
Modul 4•5 Stunden abzuschließen
Moduldetails
Often, full information is not available, especially regarding the other players. In this module, we will look at scenarios with partial information. We will explore several interesting applications of such games and look into concepts like winners’ curse and adverse selection. We will also explore the link between biology and game theory
All learning components will be updated upon the official launch of the course
Das ist alles enthalten
13 Videos12 Lektüren4 Aufgaben1 Diskussionsthema
Infos zu Modulinhalt anzeigen
13 Videos•Insgesamt 84 Minuten
Second Price Sealed Bid Auction vs First Price Sealed Bid Auction•7 Minuten
Revenue Equivalence•7 Minuten
Experimental Evidence in Auctions•5 Minuten
Some Common Auction Experiments•5 Minuten
The Idea of Winners' Curse•7 Minuten
Winners' Curse in Mergers and Acquisitions World•6 Minuten
Why do Winners' Curse Happen?•6 Minuten
Avoiding Winners' Curse•5 Minuten
Problem of Lemons and Peacock's Feathers•7 Minuten
Problem of Adverse Selection•4 Minuten
Why do People Study and Why do Peacocks have Bright Feathers•8 Minuten
Screening and Multiple Contracts•6 Minuten
Conclusion•11 Minuten
12 Lektüren•Insgesamt 120 Minuten
Essential Reading: A Survey of Experimental Research•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Using Field Experiments to Test Equivalence Between Auction Formats•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: The Art of Strategy by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff (Chapter 10)•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: Winner’s Curse•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: Competitive Bidding in High-Risk Situations •10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: The Art of Strategy by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff (Chapter 10)•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: African Widow Bird•10 Minuten
Essential Reading: The Handicap Principle•10 Minuten
Recommended Reading: The Art of Strategy by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff (Chapter 8)•10 Minuten
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) is a premier, global management Institute that is at the forefront of promoting excellence in the field of management education. Over the 60 years of its existence, it has been acknowledged for its exemplary contributions to scholarship, practice and policy through its distinctive teaching, high-quality research, nurturing future leaders, supporting industry, government, social enterprise and creating a progressive impact on society.
A traditional game theory course is highly mathematical. In this course, we will keep maths to the minimum (close to zero) and develop an intuitive understanding of the subject
What book(s) can I read to understand game theory better?
For intuitive understanding, I highly recommend The Art of Strategy by Avinash K Dixit and Barry J Nalebuff. For the technically minded, there are several textbooks out there. Some of the leading authors include Robert Gibbos, Steven Tadalis, Martin J Osborne, etc.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Finanzielle Unterstützung verfügbar, weitere Informationen
¹ Einige Aufgaben in diesem Kurs werden mit AI bewertet. Für diese Aufgaben werden Ihre Daten in Übereinstimmung mit Datenschutzhinweis von Courseraverwendet.