1. Use the following payoff matrix to answer the following questions.
Player 2
|
Player 1
|
Strategies |
C |
D |
| A |
-10, -10 |
200, -100 |
| B |
-100, 220 |
140, 180 |
2. Suppose this is a one-shot game:
a. Determine the dominant strategy for each player. If such strategies do not exist, explain why not.
b. Determine the secure strategy for each player. if such strategies do not exist, explain why not.
c. Determine the Nash equilibrium of this game. If such an equilibrium does not exist explain why not.
3. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are the leading competitors in the market for cola products. In 1960 Coca-Cola introduced Sprite, which today is the worldwide leader in the lemon-lime soft drink market and ranks fourth among all soft drinks worldwide. Prior to 1999, PepsiCo did not have a product that competed directly against Sprite and had to decide whether to introduce such a soft drink. By not introducing a lemon-lime soft drink, PepsiCo would continue to earn a $200 million profit, and Coca-Cola would continue to earn a $300 million profit.
Suppose that by introducing a new lemon-lime soft drink, one of two possible strategies could be pursued: (1) PepsiCo could trigger a price war with Coca-Cola in both the lemon-lime and cola markets, or (2) Coca-Cola could acquiesce and each firm maintain its current 50/50 split of the cola market and split the lemon-lime market 30/70 (PepsiCo/Coca-Cola) If PepsiCo introduced a lemon-lime soft drink and a price war resulted, both companies would earn profits of $100 million. Alternatively, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo would earn $275 million and $227 million, respectively, if PepsiCo introduced a lemon-lime soft drink and Coca-Cola acquiesced and split the markets as listed above. If you were a manager at PepsiCo, would you try to convince your colleagues that introducing the new soft drink is the most profitable strategy? Why or why not?
Paper Assignment
Write a paper that uses game theory to to set up a game designed to help a consumer decide whether to buy life insurance or not. To keep the game relatively simple, assume the life insurance being considered is term life. i.e. insurance without an accumulating investment value.
Keep in mind that your paper is going to be read by people without prior knowledge of game theory.
Remember to cite any outside references used.
Hint: The most common set-up for this game is to have a potential insurance buyer playing against 'Mother Nature'