Game theory Books

Book SynopsisOver the past two decades, academic economics has undergone a mild revolution in methodology. The language, concepts and techniques of noncooperative game theory have become central to the discipline.This book provides the reader with some basic concepts from noncooperative theory, and then goes on to explore the strengths, weaknesses, and future of the theory as a tool of economic modelling and analysis. The central theses are that noncooperative game theory has been a remarkably popular tool in economics over the past decade because it allows analysts to capture essential features of dynamic competition and competition where some parties have proprietary information. The theory is weakest in providing a sense of when it - and equilibrium analysis in particular - can be applied and what to do when equilibrium analysis is inappropriate. Many of these weaknesses can be addressed by the consideration of individuals who are boundedly rational and learn imperfectly from the past.Written inTrade Review`fascinating little book' Jean Tirole, Journal of Economic Literature`a book I could not put down ... the exposition is remarkably clear' Journal of Economic Perspectives`Will rapidly be established as a basic reference for students and their teachers ... even the less mathematically inclined economists will find much to gain from the application of new game theory techniques in economics.' Scottish Journal of Political Economy'It is partly a measure of how much macroeconomics has ceased to be a separate subject from microeconomics that workers in my field will now find so much to interest them in this book. It is more a measure of how engaging this book is.' Thomas J. Sargent, University of Chicago, Journal of Political Economy'The writing is in a very personalised style. Though the book is putatively for the novice, or less formally trained reader, the presentation and the level of the debate does make certain demands. It nevertheless is frontline stuff.' Economics Times, April 1992'I view Krep's discussions in the book as both interesting and helpful in describing certain key weaknesses of standard game theory.' Ronald Heiner, George Mason University, Constitutional Political Economy, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1992'Kreps has written a book that makes a sincere attempt to demystify game theory for the uninitiated and set the stage for a serious appraisal of the scope and limitations of game theory ... it does manage to convey a flavour of the excitement that comes from grappling with strategic behaviour, and hopefully should convince the reader with an open mind that game theoretic questions and applications are abstractions of relevant economic issues.' Anindya Sen, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol XXVII No 14 April 4, 1992Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. The standard ; 2. Basic notions of noncooperative game theory ; 3. The successes of game theory ; 4. The problems of game theory ; 5. Bounded rationality and retrospection ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisThomas Schelling won the Nobel Prize in economics for having enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis. This came after he had taught a course in game theory and rational choice to advanced students and government officials for 45 years. In this book, Robert Dodge provides in language for a broad audience, the concepts that Schelling taught. Armed with Schelling''s understanding of game theory methods and his approaches to problems, the general reader can improve daily decision making. Mathematics often make game theory challenging but was not a major part of Schelling''s course and is even less of a factor in this book. Along with a summary of the material Schelling presented, included are problems from the course and similar less challenging questions. While considerable analysis is done with the basic game theory tool -- the two-by-two matrix -- much of the book is descriptive and rational decision-making is explained with stories. Chapter sTrade ReviewPraise for Schelling's Game Theory: How to Make Decisions Gives readers an excellent Harvard game theory course by a renowned Nobel Prize winner through the eyes of his Boswell. This book is a must read for political scientists, economists, and anyone who has to make decisions of import. * New York Journal of Books *Table of ContentsForeword by Thomas C. Schelling ; Chapter I Thomas Schelling and His Signature Course on Strategic Thinking ; Part One: The Schelling Approach to Strategic Thinking and Decision-Making ; Chapter 2 Introduction to Strategic Thought ; Chapter 3 Vicarious Thinking ; Chapter 4 Game Theory ; Chapter 5 The Two-By-Two Matrix ; Part Two: Strategies and Tactics ; Chapter 6 Strategies Defined and Illustrated ; Chapter 7 Tactics ; Chapter 8 Self-Command ; Part Three: Models as Metaphors For What Decisions Do ; Chapter 9 Interaction Models ; Chapter 10 The Dollar Auction ; Chapter 11 Musical Chairs and Inescapable Mathematics ; Part Four: The Prisoner's Dilemma, Competition and Cooperation ; Chapter 12 The Prisoner's Dilemma ; Chapter 13 Cooperation ; Chapter 14 Coordination ; Part Five: Individual Decisions and Group Agreement ; Chapter 15 Collective Choice and Voting ; Chapter 16 The Commons and Fair Division ; Chapter 17 Case Study, Overcoming Professional Basketball's Commons Dilemma: ; The Phil Jackson Story ; Part Six: Decisions that Mix and Sort Populations, Decisions Based on ; Randomization ; Chapter 18 Critical Mass and Tipping ; Chapter 19 Individual Decisions and Group Outcomes ; Chapter 20 Randomization in Decision-Making ; Part Seven: Case Study and Review ; Chapter 21 Case Study, The Cuban Missile Crisis: Analysis and Review

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Book SynopsisR is a language and environment for data analysis and graphics. (2) R is free software that can be downloaded and installed at no cost from a family of mirror sites around the globe, the Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN);Trade ReviewResearchers in quantitative social sciences in general, and econometrics in particular, have often favored scripting languages such as GAUSS or Stat, or packages such as EViews. Introducing R to this particular audience could therefore be a well-appreciated title among the growing number of publications about R…. So, is this a good introduction of R for econometricians? Absolutely— with a well-rounded selection of available methodologies, both classic and current, and a good focus on introducing graphical methods, as well as gently covering more novel and therefore less familiar approaches, it fulfills its task with aplomb. The writing style is conversational without being shallow. (Dirk Eddelbuettel, Journal of Statistical Software, February 2009, Vol. 29, Book Review 14)Table of ContentsIntroduction. - Basics. - Linear Regression. - Diagnostics and alternative methods of regression. - Models of microeconometrics. - Time series. - Programming your own analysis. - References. - Index.

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Book SynopsisDrawing on such diverse but related disciplines as economics, cognitive psychology, statistics, and game and decision-making theory, the book considers the barriers to successful negotiation in such areas as civil litigation, family law, arms control, labor management disputes, environmental treaty making, and politics. When does it pay for parties to a dispute to cooperate, and when to compete? How can third-party negotiators further resolutions and avoid the pitfalls that deepen the division between antagonists? Offering answers to these and related questions, this book is a comprehensive guide to the latest understanding of ways to resolve human conflict.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisEdward Castronova is Professor of Media at Indiana University, USA. He is the author of Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games (2006), Exodus to the Virtual World (2008) and Wildcat Currency: The Virtual Transformation of the Economy (2014). He specializes in Games, Technology, and Society, and has served in the past as Director of the BS degree program in Game Design, and Chair of the Department of Media Arts and Production.Trade ReviewLife Is a Game goes beyond the new field of game design – beyond game theory and beyond the neurobiology of games ... Instead, the book centers on the human condition as it is reflected in game thinking ... Life Is a Game is inherently interdisciplinary, bringing together content from across academic fields, and appealing to any scholarly and lay readers with interests in politics, philosophy, economics, sociology, and of course, game design. * Popular Culture Studies Journal *Edward Castranova is one of the most brilliant minds ever to study games, so it's no surprise that his latest book, Life is a Game, is fascinating and wise. But it's more than that. It's also a hell of a lot of fun to entertain these mindblowing ideas - I couldn't put it down. This is must-reading for anyone who wants a a fresh philosophy on life, and a profound look at the deepest meaning of games. This book is grounded in history and centuries of wisdom, but at the same time bursts into the future with a visionary view of how we are all playing together, every human, every day. I truly love this book. * Jane McGonigal, author of Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Happy and How They Can Change the World (2011), USA *Can we win at the game of life? As Castronova writes with wisdom and humor, the game of life is not only about winning and losing, victories and defeats, but most of all why we play the game. For pleasure? Excellence? Faith? No matter what our life goal, Castronova brings strategic lessons learned from the field of game design and his own experience in the game of life to help us choose the kinds of games we play, and how to play hard for our victory conditions, quest, thrive, and win. * Joshua A.T. Fairfield, William Donald Bain Family Professor of Law, Washington and Lee University School of Law, USA *Table of ContentsIntroduction a. Stances and the Strategic Layer b. Concepts and Examples c. Is there a Game Designer? d. Life’s Important; So Are Games e. We Can Only Write From Who We Are Part I: The Strategic Turn 1. Why Do Great Thinkers Keep Saying That Life is a Game? a. The Many Similarities Between Living, Gaming, and Playing b. Focus: Four Books that Come Close to Life, the Game i. Hugo Rahner: Man at Play (1967/1949) ii. Bernard Suits: The Grasshopper (1978) iii. Michel de Certeau: The Practice of Everyday Life (1984) iv. James Carse: Finite and Infinite Games (1987) c. What is the Game of Life, Really? d. The Present Moment: An Insufferable Boredom e. How Game Design Responds to Boredom 2.The Environment of Decision a. The natural world b. Meaning and mind c. Boredom and Suffering d. The Immaterial World 3. Is this a game? a. First features of the game of everything i. Life as an idle game ii. Life as Minesweeper iii. Life as Role-Playing Game b. What explains the similarity of life to a game? c. How game design illuminates social processes d. How to play 4. The Strategic Layer a. Layers b. Strategy and tactics c. The strategic layer d. On victory conditions e. Operational goals 5. Stances a. Choosing stances b. Four strategic comments about philosophical commitments c. How to evaluate a stance d. How stances change Part II. A Catalog of Stances 6. The Hedonistic Stance a. Commitments b. Victory conditions c. Strategies d. Assessment 7. The Excellence Stance a. Commitments b. Victory conditions c. Strategies d. Assessment 8. The Heroic Stance a. Commitments b. Victory conditions c. Strategies d. Assessment 9. The Orthodox Stance a. Commitments b. Victory conditions c. Strategies d. Assessment 10. The Mystic Stance a. Commitments b. Victory conditions c. Strategies d. Assessment Part III. Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Trade ReviewIn this essential volume for scholars of narrative play, Mark Kretzschmar and Sara Raffel take on the complexity of the form of visual novels, exploring well-known exemplars such as dating simulators alongside hybrids and even less-studied erotic works. Offering this comprehensive survey alongside a detailed ludography of suggested works for play spanning the last several decades, this wide-ranging overview can serve as a guide for exploring these works and the growing significance of visual novels as a global form. * Anastasia Salter, Associate Professor of English at the University of Central Florida, USA *The Visual Novel as a video game genre is widely recognizable and impactful, deceptively simple in its presentation and tricky to truly pin down in its entirety. This book is a great resource for anyone interested in learning more about the rich history of Visual Novels, and how they have through their creators, players, content, media mixing, design, and development made an undeniable mark on modern day video game culture. An interesting read for game scholars, veteran players, and newcomers alike. * Elin Carstensdottir, Assistant Professor of Computational Media, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA *Table of ContentsPART 1: History and Interactivity 1. Introduction: The Ludic Genre Devoted to Stories Meets Postmodernism 2. Digital Books of the Rising Sun: Cultural and Technological Factors Leading to the Remediation of Manga and Anime 3. Assembling the Nest: Cultural Vehicles that Incubated Visual Novels PART 2: Subgenres and Tropes 4. The Aesthetics and Functions of Kawaii (Cute)Culture and Dating Simulators 5. Detective Stories, Labyrinthian Puzzles, and Supernatural Horror (Oh, My!): The Rising Popularity of Mystery Visual Novels and Japanese Adventure Games 6. Intimacy, Uncensored Pixels, and Groundhog Day Porn Loops: Erotic Visual Novels and Adult Content PART 3: Fan-Creators, Open-Source Software, and Genre-Melding? 7. Rise of the Fan/Gamer/Creator: How Open-Source Software Influences a New Generation of Visual Novel 8. Conclusion: The Future of Visual Novels: How Genre-Melders Keep the Dream Alive Appendix A: The Visual Novel-Adventure Game Starter Kit Ludography Index

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Book SynopsisPhilip Hammond is Professor of Media and Communications at London South Bank University, UK. His previous publications include Media, War and Postmodernity (2007) and Screens of Terror (2011). Holger Pötzsch is Associate Professor in Media and Documentation Studies at UiT - The Arctic University of Norway. He publishes widely in such journals as Games & Culture, Game Studies, and New Media and Society.Trade ReviewThe volume is separated into three interrelated thematic sections: 'Militarism and the Gaming Subject' addresses players’ situatedness within military-themed games; 'Playing War, History, and Memory' looks at the role of games in influencing military history and cultural memory; and 'Wargames/Peacegames' focuses on how conceptual frameworks are embedded in military-themed games. Though the volume addresses both analog and digital games, it focuses on events in Europe and European games. This is a boon not a limitation in that it adds depth, richness, and specificity to the study of both games and the cultural/historical perspectives addressed. The game This War of Mine, which is based on the living conditions and atrocities civilians endured during the Siege of Sarajevo, is treated in more than one essay … Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals. * CHOICE *The impressive range of perspectives in this collection bring new insight and nuance to the expanding field of war and games. * Debra Ramsay, Lecturer in Film, University of Exeter, UK *Beginning with the predominant tension, and indeed contradiction, between war and games, Hammond and Pötzsch have put together a remarkable collection of essays which at turns surprises, challenges and even provokes the reader into engaging with a core theme running through historical and military themed video games. Namely, how can games (a theoretically ludic and playful medium) deal with war (a vicious and destructive phenomenon which is anything but playful)? The answers to this core question vary from one contributor to another. Some offer approaches from the perspectives of historical enquiry and critical theory. Others are involved in questions of player identification, empathy and collective or public memory. Still others use reception methods like participant observation and empirical fieldwork to understand what players take away from this fundamentally interactive medium of games. What all of the responses in this carefully and cleverly edited collection do offer, however, is a sustained and thoughtful meditation on the centrality of conflict to ludology, ludology to conflict, and the effects of wargaming on players, games, society and the industry. An excellent compendium for an era dominated by war and mediated simulacra of warfare, War Games has brought together some of the cutting-edge scholars working in the emerging discipline of historical gaming to produce a meaningful and important discussion of how war and games are critically and culturally enmeshed in twenty-first-century society. * Dr. Andrew B.R. Elliott, Senior Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies, University of Lincoln, UK *Table of ContentsNotes on Contributors Acknowledgements Introduction: Studying War and Games Philip Hammond (London South Bank University, UK) and Holger Pötzsch (UiT – The Arctic University of Norway) I: Militarism and the Gaming Subject 1. Reality Check: Videogames as Propaganda for Inauthentic War Philip Hammond (London South Bank University, UK) 2. Playing in the End Times: Wargames, Resilience and the Art of Failure Kevin McSorley (University of Portsmouth, UK) 3. The Political Economy of Wargames: The Production of History and Memory in Military Video Games Emil Lundedal Hammar (UiT – The Arctic University of Norway) and Jamie Woodcock (University of Oxford, UK) 4. Understanding War Game Experiences: Applying Multiple Player Perspectives to Game Analysis Kristine Jørgensen (University of Bergen, Norway) II: Playing War, History, and Memory 5. Playing the Historical Fantastic: Zombies, Mecha-Nazis and Making Meaning about the Past Through Metaphor Adam Chapman (University of Gothenburg, Sweden) 6. Machine(s) of Narrative Security: Mnemonic Hegemony and Polish Games about Violent Conflicts Piotr Sterczewski (Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland) 7. National Memories and the First World War: The Many Sides of Battlefield 1 Chris Kempshall (the Imperial War Museum, UK) 8. Let’s Play War: Cultural Memory, Celebrities and Appropriations of the Past Stephanie de Smale (Utrecht University, the Netherlands) III: Wargames/Peacegames 9. The Wargame Legacy: How Wargames Shaped the Roleplaying Experience from Tabletop to Digital Games Dimitra Nikolaidou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece) 10. Critical War Game Development: Lessons Learned from Attentat 1942 Vít Šisler (Charles University, Czech Republic) 11. Simulating War Dynamics: A Case Study of the Game-based Learning Exercise Mission Z: One Last Chance Joakim Arnøy (Narvik War and Peace Centre, Norway) 12. Positioning Players as Political Subjects: Forms of Estrangement and the Presentation of War in This War of Mine and Spec Ops: The Line Holger Pötzsch (UiT – The Arctic University of Norway) Afterword: War/Game Matthew Thomas Payne (University of Notre Dame, USA) Index

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Book SynopsisThis textbook invites the reader to develop a holistic grounding in mathematical finance, where concepts and intuition play as important a role as powerful mathematical tools. Financial interactions are characterized by a vast amount of data and uncertainty; navigating the inherent dangers and hidden opportunities requires a keen understanding of what techniques to apply and when. By exploring the conceptual foundations of options pricing, the author equips readers to choose their tools with a critical eye and adapt to emerging challenges. Introducing the basics of gambles through realistic scenarios, the text goes on to build the core financial techniques of Puts, Calls, hedging, and arbitrage. Chapters on modeling and probability lead into the centerpiece: the Black–Scholes equation. Omitting the mechanics of solving Black–Scholes itself, the presentation instead focuses on an in-depth analysis of its derivation and solutions. Advanced topics that follow include the Greeks, American options, and embellishments. Throughout, the author presents topics in an engaging conversational style. “Intuition breaks” frequently prompt students to set aside mathematical details and think critically about the relevance of tools in context. Mathematics of Finance is ideal for undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds, including mathematics, economics, statistics, data science, and computer science. Students should have experience with the standard calculus sequence, as well as a familiarity with differential equations and probability. No financial expertise is assumed of student or instructor; in fact, the text’s deep connection to mathematical ideas makes it suitable for a math capstone course. A complete set of the author’s lecture videos is available on YouTube, providing a comprehensive supplementary resource for a course or independent study.Trade Review“This textbook provides excellent tools for a holistic understanding of mathematical finance, which combine intuitive common sense with financial and mathematical concepts. The book appeared as notes for undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds, from mathematics and computer science to economics and finance.” (Nikita Y. Ratanov, Mathematical Reviews, August, 2020)Table of Contents1. Preliminaries via Gambles.- 2. Options.- 3. Modeling.- 4. Some Probability.- 5. The Black–Scholes Equation.- 6. Solutions of Black–Scholes.- 7. Partial information: the Greeks.- 8. Sketching and the American Options.- 9. Embellishments.

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Book SynopsisThe business environment is changing more rapidly than ever before, and new business ideas are emerging. This book discusses applying insights from design thinking to craft novel strategies that satisfy customer needs, make use of the available capabilities, integrate requirements for financial success and provide competitive advantage.It guides readers through the jungle encountered when developing a strategy for sustained growth and profitability. It addresses strategy design in a holistic way by applying abductive reasoning, iteratively observing customers and focusing on empathy, as well as prototyping ideas and using customers to validate them. Uniquely applying insights from design thinking to strategy, this book is a must-read for graduates, MBAs and executives interested in innovation and strategy, as well as corporate strategists, innovation managers, business analysts and consultants.Table of ContentsPart I: The Concepts and Theories Behind Innovative Strategy Design.- Part II: A Structured Approach to Strategy Development.- Part III: Laying the Foundation for a Successful Strategy.- Part IV: Iteratively Developing the Business Model Underlying the Strategy.- Part V: Exposing the Designed Strategy to the Competitive Environment.

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This book gives a concise presentation of the mathematical foundations of Game Theory, with an emphasis on strategic analysis linked to information and dynamics. It is largely self-contained, with all of the key tools and concepts defined in the text.Combining the basics of Game Theory, such as value existence theorems in zero-sum games and equilibrium existence theorems for non-zero-sum games, with a selection of important and more recent topics such as the equilibrium manifold and learning dynamics, the book quickly takes the reader close to the state of the art. Applications to economics, biology, and learning are included, and the exercises, which often contain noteworthy results, provide an important complement to the text.Based on lectures given in Paris over several years, this textbook will be useful for rigorous, up-to-date courses on the subject. Apart from an interest in strategic thinking and a taste for mathematical formalism, the only prerequisite for reading the book is a solid knowledge of mathematics at the undergraduate level, including basic analysis, linear algebra, and probability.

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Book SynopsisThis textbook provides a one-semester introduction to mathematical economics for first year graduate and senior undergraduate students. Intended to fill the gap between typical liberal arts curriculum and the rigorous mathematical modeling of graduate study in economics, this text provides a concise introduction to the mathematics needed for core microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics courses. Chapters 1 through 5 builds students’ skills in formal proof, axiomatic treatment of linear algebra, and elementary vector differentiation. Chapters 6 and 7 present the basic tools needed for microeconomic analysis. Chapter 8 provides a quick introduction to (or review of) probability theory. Chapter 9 introduces dynamic modeling, applicable in advanced macroeconomics courses. The materials assume prerequisites in undergraduate calculus and linear algebra. Each chapter includes in-text exercises and a solutions manual, making this text ideal for self-study.Trade Review“Even though the book is aimed at serving as a single semester course, it is sufficiently rich in its contents. This makes it stand out from other similar titles. … Sufficient references have been included for those desirous of delving deeper into the mathematical fundamentals of economics. The book has been written with a lot of caution, brevity and wisdom; and is worth every penny spent on it.” (Firdous Ahmad Mala, Journal of Economics, Vol. 136, 2022)“This book by Prof. Kam Yu is an interesting addition to the literature on the basic mathematical tools for economic analysis (more specifically, for neoclassical economics). It covers a wide range of topics, ranging from topology to probability theory, going through linear algebra, optimization theory and dynamic programming. Its strength lies in a large number of examples and exercises. In that sense, it is useful for junior and senior college students.” (Fernando Tohmé, zbMATH 1471.91005, 2021)Table of ContentsChapter 1. Logic and Proof.- Chapter 2. Sets and Relations.- Chapter 3. Basic Topology.- Chapter 4. Linear Algebra.- Chapter 5. Vector Calculus.- Chapter 6. Convex Analysis.- Chapter 7. Optimization.- Chapter 8. Probability.- Chapter 9. Dynamic Modeling.

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Book SynopsisPart 1.Strategic Games on Stage:Medea Meets Hamlet.- Chapter 1.Strategic Games on Stage: An Introduction.- Chapter 2.Medea: Child Murderess or Abandoned Wife?.- Chapter 3.Antigone: An Exercise in Triolectics.- Chapter 4.Machiavelli, Shakespeare, and the Dirty Hands.- Chapter 5.Schiller's Wallenstein and the Trap of Power.- Chapter 6.In the Dust with All the Enemies of Brandenburg: Kleist's The Prince of Homburg.- Part 2.Strategic Games on Stage: Medea Meets Hamlet.- Chapter 7.Desire on Stage.- Chapter 8.One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest: Violence, Madness.- Chapter 9.The Black Medea: An Introduction.- Chapter 10.Epilogue: Taine, Jorn, and Jarry, and the Metaverse Stage.

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Book SynopsisCompendium of Advances in Game Theory: Classical, Differential, Algorithmic, Non-Archimedean and Quantum Games.- Information-Delay-Induced Hopf Bifurcations in Evolutionary Game Dynamics.- Price Formation in Financial Markets: a Mean-Field Game Perspective.- An Introduction to Monotonicity Methods in Mean-Field Games.- Simplifying Game Positions of the Green Hackenbush Combinatorial Game.

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Book SynopsisThis second edition expands the first chapters, which focus on the approach to risk management issues discussed in the first edition, to offer readers a better understanding of the risk management process and the relevant quantitative phases. In the following chapters the book examines life insurance, non-life insurance and pension plans, presenting the technical and financial aspects of risk transfers and insurance without the use of complex mathematical tools. The book is written in a comprehensible style making it easily accessible to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in Economics, Business and Finance, as well as undergraduate students in Mathematics who intend starting on an actuarial qualification path. With the systematic inclusion of practical topics, professionals will find this text useful when working in insurance and pension related areas, where investments, risk analysis and financial reporting play a major role.Trade Review“This is a good introductory book on the topics. This book is clearly written for students in the arena of insurance industry. This is also a good reference book for professionals. … Each chapter of the book ends with a section providing bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading. … this is a good contribution, providing up-to-date coverage on selected insurance topics in a logical and systematic manner.” (Technometrics, Vol. 58 (2), February, 2016) Table of Contents1 Risks and Insurance.- 2 Managing a Portfolio of Risks.- Life Insurance: Modeling the Lifetime.- 4 Life Insurance: Pricing.- 5 Life Insurance: Reserving.- 6 Reserves and Profits in a Life Insurance Portfolio.- 7 Finance in Life Insurance: Linking Benefits to the Investment Performance.- 8 Pension Plans: Technical and Financial Perspectives.- 9 Non-life Insurance: Pricing and Reserving.- Index.

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Book SynopsisConcepts, methods and techniques of statistical physics in the study of correlated, as well as uncorrelated, phenomena are being applied ever increasingly in the natural sciences, biology and economics in an attempt to understand and model the large variability and risks of phenomena. This is the first textbook written by a well-known expert that provides a modern up-to-date introduction for workers outside statistical physics. Table of ContentsUseful Notions of Probability Theory.- Sums of Random Variables, Random Walks and the Central Limit Theorem.- Large Deviations.- Power Law Distributions.- Fractals and Multifractals.- Rank-Ordering Statistics and Heavy Tails.- Statistical Mechanics: Probabilistic Point of View and the Concept of “Temperature”.- Long-Range Correlations.- Phase Transitions: Critical Phenomena and First-Order Transitions.- Transitions, Bifurcations and Precursors.- The Renormalization Group.- The Percolation Model.- Rupture Models.- Mechanisms for Power Laws.- Self-Organized Criticality.- to the Physics of Random Systems.- Randomness and Long-Range Laplacian Interactions.

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Book SynopsisThe fourth edition is augmented by more than 70 new formulas. In particular, we have included some key concepts and results from trade theory, games of incomplete information and combinatorics. In addition there are scattered additions of new formulas in many chapters. Again we are indebted to a number of people who has suggested corrections, - provements and new formulas. In particular, we would like to thank Jens-Henrik Madsen, Larry Karp, Harald Goldstein, and Geir Asheim. In a reference book, errors are particularly destructive. We hope that readers who ?nd our remaining errors will call them to our attention so that we may purge them from future editions. Oslo and Berkeley, May 2005 Knut Sydsaeter, Arne Strom, Peter Berck From the preface to the third edition Thepracticeofeconomicsrequiresawide-rangingknowledgeofformulasfrommat- matics, statistics, andmathematicaleconomics. Withthisvolumewehopetopresent a formulary tailored to the needs of students and working professionals in economics. In addition to a selection of mathematical and statistical formulas often used by economists, this volume contains many purely economic results and theorems. It containsjusttheformulasandtheminimumcommentaryneededtorelearnthema- ematics involved. We have endeavored to state theorems at the level of generality economists might ?nd useful. In contrast to the economic maxim, "everything is twice more continuously di?erentiable than it needs to be", we have usually listed theregularityconditionsfortheoremstobetrue.Wehopethatwehaveachieveda level of explication that is accurate and useful without being pedantic.Table of ContentsSet Theory. Relations. Functions.- Equations. Functions of one variable. Complex numbers.- Limits. Continuity. Differentiation (one variable).- Partial derivatives.- Elasticities. Elasticities of substitution.- Systems of equations.- Inequalities.- Series. Taylor’s formula.- Integration.- Difference equations.- Differential equations.- Topology in Euclidean space.- Convexity.- Classical optimization.- Linear and nonlinear programming.- Calculus of variations and optimal control theory.- Discrete dynamic optimization.- Vectors in ?n. Abstract spaces.- Matrices.- Determinants.- Eigenvalues. Quadratic forms.- Special matrices. Leontief systems.- Kronecker products and the vec operator. Differentiation of vectors and matrices.- Comparative statics.- Properties of cost and profit functions.- Consumer theory.- Topics from trade theory.- Topics from finance and growth theory.- Risk and risk aversion theory.- Finance and stochastic calculus.- Non-cooperative game theory.- Combinatorics.- Probability and statistics.- Probability distributions.- Method of least squares.

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Book SynopsisThe present third edition of The Statistical Mechanics of Financial Markets is published only four years after the ?rst edition. The success of the book highlights the interest in a summary of the broad research activities on the application of statistical physics to ?nancial markets. I am very grateful to readers and reviewers for their positive reception and comments. Why then prepare a new edition instead of only reprinting and correcting the second edition? The new edition has been signi?cantly expanded, giving it a more pr- tical twist towards banking. The most important extensions are due to my practical experience as a risk manager in the German Savings Banks’ As- ciation (DSGV): Two new chapters on risk management and on the closely related topic of economic and regulatory capital for ?nancial institutions, - spectively, have been added. The chapter on risk management contains both the basics as well as advanced topics, e. g. coherent risk measures, which have not yet reached the statistical physics community interested in ?nancial m- kets. Similarly, it is surprising how little research by academic physicists has appeared on topics relating to Basel II. Basel II is the new capital adequacy framework which will set the standards in risk management in many co- tries for the years to come. Basel II is responsible for many job openings in banks for which physicists are extemely well quali?ed. For these reasons, an outline of Basel II takes a major part of the chapter on capital.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the third edition: "An excellent job of integrating many of the most important themes from econophysics in a relatively small volume. … The book serves its purpose, as a textbook on econophysics, superbly and one can tell that it developed from a course of lectures. The book is written with extreme clarity and an excellent pedagogical style. For philosophers who wish to acquaint themselves with the field of econophysics (beyond a superficial level), this is the book to invest in." (Dean Rickles, Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, Vol. 38, 2007)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Basic Information on Capital Markets.- Random Walks in Finance and Physics.- The Black-Scholes Theory of Option Prices.- Scaling in Financial Data and in Physics.- Turbulence and Foreign Exchange Markets.- Derivative Pricing Beyond Black-Scholes.- Microscopic Market Models.- Theory of Stock Exchange Crashes.- Risk Management.- Economic and Regulatory Capital for Financial Institutions.- Appendix.- Notes and References.- Index.

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Book SynopsisDas Lehrbuch vermittelt die Grundlagen der Wirtschaftsmathematik. Dafür behandeln die Autoren Lineare Algebra, Analysis und Optimierung sowohl grundsätzlich als auch in der Anwendung auf ökonomische Fragestellungen, die Stochastik bleibt ausgeklammert. In der Darstellung wird auf mathematische Präzision Wert gelegt, ohne sie überzustrapazieren. Beispiele dienen dem Verständnis der Methodik und der wirtschaftlicher Fragestellungen. Das Buch erscheint in der 5., überarbeiteten und ergänzten Auflage und ist speziell für Studienanfänger gestaltet. Table of ContentsGrundlagen.- Lineare Algebra.- Folgen, Reihen und Finanzrechnung.- Funktionen einer reellen Variablen.- Funktionen von mehreren reellen Variablen.- Optimierung.

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Book SynopsisThis textbook introduces students of economics to the fundamental notions and instruments in linear algebra. Linearity is used as a first approximation to many problems that are studied in different branches of science, including economics and other social sciences. Linear algebra is also the most suitable to teach students what proofs are and how to prove a statement. The proofs that are given in the text are relatively easy to understand and also endow the student with different ways of thinking in making proofs. Theorems for which no proofs are given in the book are illustrated via figures and examples. All notions are illustrated appealing to geometric intuition. The book provides a variety of economic examples using linear algebraic tools. It mainly addresses students in economics who need to build up skills in understanding mathematical reasoning. Students in mathematics and informatics may also be interested in learning about the use of mathematics in economics.Table of ContentsSome Basic Concepts.- Vectors and Matrices.- Square Matrices and Determinants.- Inverse Matrix.- Systems of Linear Equations.- Linear Spaces.- Euclidean Spaces.- Linear Transformations.- Eigenvectors and Eigenvalues.- Linear Model of Production in a Classical Setting.- Linear Programming.- Natural Numbers and Induction.- Methods of Evaluating Determinants.- Complex Numbers.- Pseudoinverse.- Answers and Solutions.

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Book SynopsisWas hat Hamlet falsch gemacht? In diesem Buch lernen Sie Instrumente kennen, mit denen Sie dieser Frage systematisch nachgehen können – die Ihnen helfen, Entscheidungssituationen zu durchdenken, die sich durch Konflikte und Koordinationsprobleme auszeichnen. Mit Hilfe spieltheoretischer Konzepte und Ansätze werden Sie Ihre Antwort darauf finden, was Hamlet falsch gemacht hat, warum der Kalte Krieg „kalt" blieb und warum Michelin seinen Eintritt in den US-Markt besser vermieden hätte. Die Spieltheorie ist aus der heutigen Ökonomik nicht mehr wegzudenken. Auch in der Politikwissenschaft, Soziologie und Philosophie findet sich inzwischen ein breites Band sehr unterschiedlicher Anwendungen. Diese Einführung in die Spieltheorie liefert die theoretischen Grundlagen und schult beim Leser die spieltheoretische Argumentationsweise. Für die vorliegende 8. Auflage wurden große Teile der Kapitel 1 bis 4 gründlich überarbeitet und ergänzt. Das neue Kapitel 9 bietet unterhaltsame Einblicke in die spannende (Vor-)Geschichte der Spieltheorie. Eine gut lesbare Einführung!Table of ContentsEinführung.- Grundkonzepte.- Lösungskonzepte für nicht-kooperative Spiele in strategischer Form.- Dynamische Spiele.- Individualistisch-kooperative Spiele und Verhandlungsspiele.- Koalitionsspiele.- Implementierung und Mechanismusdesign.- Evolutorische Spiele.- Zur Geschichte der Spieltheorie.

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Book SynopsisDieses Buch nimmt Sie an die Hand und führt Sie zielsicher zu bestandenen Prüfungen in der Mathematik-Grundausbildung Ihres Studiums. Als Autoren wurden zwei erfahrene Hochschullehrer gewonnen, denen die Berührungsängste und alle Unsicherheiten von BWL-Studierenden mit der Mathematik aus langjähriger Tätigkeit an den höchsten Schulen der Republik zutiefst vertraut sind. Einfach in der Sprache, verständlich in der Methodik, anregend mit vielen ausführlich vorgerechneten Beispielen - so präsentiert sich ein Buch, das als Begleiter im BWL-Grundstudium ausdrücklich zu empfehlen ist. Leserservice und online-Hilfe sind selbstverständlich.In die 4. Auflage wurden die Rechenmethoden zur Linearen Optimierung (Simplex-Verfahren) integriert. Außerdem wurde das Buch durch den Themenkomplex Wahrscheinlichkeit/Statistik wesentlich erweitert.Übungsaufgaben und Lösungen zum Lehrbuch liegen in einem separaten Band vor.Table of ContentsGrundlagen.- Analysis.- Folgen, Reihen und Finanzmathematik.- Lineare Algebra und Optimierung.- Zufall, Wahrscheinlichkeit, Verteilungsfunktionen.- Beurteilende Statistik.

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Book SynopsisTheory.- Decision Theory.- Basic Concepts.- Multistage Game.- Repeated Games.- Incomplete Information.- Problems.- Methodology.- Industrial Economics Application Examples.- Public Finance Application Examples.- Military Application Examples.- Miscellaneous Application Examples.

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Book SynopsisThis textbook presents the basics of game theory both on an undergraduate level and on a more advanced mathematical level. It is the second, revised version of the successful 2008 edition. The book covers most topics of interest in game theory, including cooperative game theory. Part I presents introductions to all these topics on a basic yet formally precise level. It includes chapters on repeated games, social choice theory, and selected topics such as bargaining theory, exchange economies, and matching. Part II goes deeper into noncooperative theory and treats the theory of zerosum games, refinements of Nash equilibrium in strategic as well as extensive form games, and evolutionary games. Part III covers basic concepts in the theory of transferable utility games, such as core and balancedness, Shapley value and variations, and nucleolus. Some mathematical tools on duality and convexity are collected in Part IV. Every chapter in the book contains a problem section. Hints, answers and solutions are included.Trade Review“It can be used at an advanced undergraduate course or a graduate course. … I found the book very well written and appropriate for a game theory course focused on business and economics students and applications. Some of the problems are very challenging but most of them are at the appropriate level and the reader will have some fun and learn from them. This is a book that I recommend if you are interested in game theory … .” (Philosophy, Religion and Science Book Reviews, bookinspections.wordpress.com, June, 2016)“This book is therefore a very successful work on the task of providing the largest number of readers, independently of the initial levels of knowledge, an introduction to game theory simultaneously accessible and rigorous, with a wide exemplification of applications, allowing them to achieve efficiently an advanced level of knowledge in the field. Indispensable for teachers and both undergraduate and graduate students in game theory. Also for business and economics professionals, and everybody curious on these matters.” (Manuel Alberto M. Ferreira, Acta Scientiae et Intellectus, Vol. 2 (4), 2016)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Part I Thinking Strategically.- Finite Two-Person Zero-Sum Games.- Finite Two-Person Games.- Finite Extensive Form Games.- Finite Games with Incomplete Information.- Noncooperative Games: Extensions.- Repeated Games.- An Introduction to Evolutionary Games.- Cooperative Games with Transferable Utility.- Cooperative Game Models.- Social Choice.- Part II Noncooperative Games.- Matrix Games.- Finite Games.- Extensive Form Games.- Evolutionary Games.- Part III Cooperative Games.- TU-Games: Dominationa, Stable Sets, and the Core.- The Shapley Value.- Core, Shapley Value, and Weber Set.- The Nucleolus.- Special Transferable Utility Games.- Bargaining Problems.- Part IV Tools.

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Book SynopsisCes notes sont consacrées aux inégalités et aux théorèmes limites classiques pour les suites de variables aléatoires absolument régulières ou fortement mélangeantes au sens de Rosenblatt. Le but poursuivi est de donner des outils techniques pour l'étude des processus faiblement dépendants aux statisticiens ou aux probabilistes travaillant sur ces processus. Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Variance of partial sums.- Algebraic moments. Elementary exponential inequalities.- Maximal inequalities and strong laws.- Central limit theorems.- Coupling and mixing.- Fuk-Nagaev inequalities, applications.- Empirical distribution functions.- Empirical processes indexed by classes of functions.- Irreducible Markov chains.- Appendices.- References.- Index.

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Book SynopsisThis is a textbook for university juniors, seniors, and graduate students majoring in economics, applied mathematics, and related fields. Each chapter is structured so that a core concept of that chapter is presented with motivations, useful applications are given, and related advanced topics are discussed for future study. Many helpful exercises at various levels are provided at the end of each chapter. Therefore, this book is most suitable for readers who intend to study non-cooperative game theory rigorously for both theoretical studies and applications.Game theory consists of non-cooperative games and cooperative games. This book covers only non-cooperative games, which are major tools used in current economics and related areas. Non-cooperative game theory aims to provide a mathematical prediction of strategic choices by decision makers (players) in situations of conflicting interest. Through the logical analyses of strategic choices, we obtain a better understanding of social (economic, business) problems and possible remedies. The book contains many well-known games such as the prisoner’s dilemma, chicken (hawk–dove) game, coordination game, centipede game, and Cournot, Bertrand, and Stackelberg models in oligopoly. It also covers some advanced frameworks such as repeated games with non-simultaneous moves, repeated games with overlapping generations, global games, and voluntarily separable repeated prisoner’s dilemma, so that readers familiar with basic game theory can expand their knowledge. The author’s own research is reflected in topics such as formulations of information and evolutionary stability, which makes this book unique.

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Book SynopsisAn introduction to game theory that offers not only theoretical tools but also the intuition and behavioral insights to apply these tools to real-world situations.This introductory text on game theory provides students with both the theoretical tools to analyze situations through the logic of game theory and the intuition and behavioral insights to apply these tools to real-world situations. It is unique among game theory texts in offering a clear, formal introduction to standard game theory while incorporating evidence from experimental data and introducing recent behavioral models. Students will not only learn about incentives, how to represent situations as games, and what agents “should” do in these situations, but they will also be presented with evidence that either confirms the theoretical assumptions or suggests a way in which the theory might be updated.Features:Each chapter begins with a motivating example that can

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