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Purpose: This paper investigates how individuals' decision-making approach and perceptions of a game's cognitive realism affect the performance of virtual businesses in a web-based simulation game. Design/methodology/approach: Survey data are collected from 274 business simulation game users and is analysed using the fsQCA technique. Findings: The study identifies three alternative pathways to high and low performance in a business simulation game. Results indicate that a flexible decision-making approach exists in all high performance pathway solutions. Where a game is perceived to be realistic, a more focused decision-making approach is associated with high performance. However, where perceived cognitive realism is absent, a less focused experimental decision-making approach is employed, which increases the chances to achieve low performance. Finally, perceived cognitive realism and an experimental decision-making approach are found to be mutually exclusive for achieving high performance. Originality/value: Whilst the learning benefits of web-based simulation games are widely acknowledged, the complex interplay amongst factors affecting performance in games is under-researched. Limited research exists on how perceptions of a game's cognitive realism interact with user decision-making approaches to affect performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic struck right during the Olympic preparation, leading to significant training restrictions such as noncontact practices for combat sports. This case study research describes the application of a complementary virtual-reality (VR) intervention to train elite boxers preparing for Tokyo 2020 during the pandemic. It also addresses the evaluation of broader visuocognitive functions in elite boxers. Six boxers were allocated to two groups: one experimental group trained on a 360° VR (360VR) temporal video-occlusion program, and one active control group trained on a VR game simulation during 11 sessions. Pre- and postevaluations of specific decision-making performance were performed on a 360VR evaluation test. Fundamental visual and visuocognitive functions were assessed at baseline. Greater on-test decision-making improvements were observed in the 360VR-trained group compared with VR game, and 360VR offered self-reported satisfactory, representative, and safe individual training opportunities for the boxers. More research is warranted to explore the applications of 360VR and VR simulation for psycho-perceptual-motor-skill evaluation and training. Superior visuocognitive performance was observed in elite boxers and should also be a topic of further investigation. The methodological approach, implementation, and reflections are provided in detail to guide practitioners toward the applied use of VR in the sporting environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many healthcare business courses may not yet teach it, gametheory has found enormous applications in the healthcare industry. Among the best-known and most widely used game-theoretic model is the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD). Under what conditions and qualifications the classic, one-shot PD might evolve into a cooperative game, particularly in high-stakes healthcare decision-making, is the subject of this study. We adapt an iterated PD game into a participatory activity for classroom instruction and present empirical evidence of varying outcomes from games played in two healthcare finance courses. Outcomes reveal that infinite PD iterations do not necessarily yield mutual cooperation between players in capital budgeting for hospitals and similar treatment facilities. Outcomes further indicate that they are more nuanced than conventional theory might suggest. Inter-player communication, negotiation, conflictresolution, trust-building, and goal-setting under uncertainty benefit from the discount parameter ("shadow of the future"). Yet they may do so in unexpected ways and only to a considerable extent. A seamless classroom game that bridges the canonical divide between the one-shot and iterated models offers valuable experiential learning as well as theoretical and practical insights for healthcare finance that conventional theory might otherwise neglect or disregard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before the Second World War, the Industrial Engineer's work focused on studies of plant distribution, quality control, production and inventories. Currently, these professionals are also required to carry out economic activities. The paper presents a business simulation game model that serves as a pedagogical tool for the teaching-learning process in the decision-making area, in the Marketing, Production and Finance disciplines. The research was carried out in four phases: data collection, reference frame construction, design construction, and testing. The theoretical and practical foundations were laid for future research, which improve the proposed model with the addition of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning techniques, which optimize data processing and provide better support to the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Video games provide a means to improve a human's cognitive skills. There are several genres of games that affect different cognitive subcategory. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether video games could really improve cognitive skills and decision-making; and which video games genre affect which cognitive skills. The authors assess previous experiments related to video games and cognitive skills. The paper reviewed 27 experimental and literature review studies. The results of the review proved that video games do improve cognitive skills and decision-making. Cognitive skills such as perception, attentional control, and decision-making improves when subjects were trained with video games. In relation to video games genre, Real-time strategy (RTS) players outperforms First-person shooter (FPS) players on cognitive flexibility while FPS players tend to have lower switching cost in work. People with profession such as nurses and doctors showed improved decision-making and risk assessment when trained with serious simulation games. High school and undergraduate students who played video games exhibit better result when given tasks related to cognitive abilities compared to students who do not played video games. We encourage further studies to conduct a much bigger experiment to correlate with our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Financial Sciences / Nauki o Finansach is the property of Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny we Wroclawiu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The leaders play a vital role in the decision scenarios in any organization. A qualitative study was conducted using "Beer distribution game" simulation to create an environment of novel and uncertain conditions. Additionally, the study followed the group interviewing technique to explore the underlying patterns in the creative decision-making phenomenon taken by the leaders in complex situations. The findings of the study revealed three categories of factors that contribute to the creative decision making of the leaders. These categories consist of factors related to individuals' personal characteristics, team-level factors, and process related factors. The study revealed during the group discussion that creative decision making occurs through a unique interplay of people, process and technology in the Pakistani context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Space & Form / Przestrzeń i FORMA is the property of West Pomeranian University of Technology, Department of Architecture & Urban Planning and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Livestock industries are vulnerable to disease threats, which can cost billions of dollars and have substantial negative social ramifications. Losses are mitigated through increased use of disease-related biosecurity practices, making increased biosecurity an industry goal. Currently, there is no industry-wide standard for sharing information about disease incidence or on-site biosecurity strategies, resulting in uncertainty regarding disease prevalence and biosecurity strategies employed by industry stakeholders. Using an experimental simulation game, with primarily student participants, we examined willingness to invest in biosecurity when confronted with disease outbreak scenarios. We varied the scenarios by changing the information provided about 1) disease incidence and 2) biosecurity strategy or response by production facilities to the threat of disease. Here we show that willingness to invest in biosecurity increases with increased information about disease incidence, but decreases with increased information about biosecurity practices used by nearby facilities. Thus, the type or context of the uncertainty confronting the decision maker may be a major factor influencing behavior. Our findings suggest that policies and practices that encourage greater sharing of disease incidence information should have the greatest benefit for protecting herd health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Only investment strategies with a financial benefit did under influence of social interaction, result in high adoption. • For high adoption to occur, communication between participants, was necessary. • Opinion leaders played an essential role in high adoption of investment strategies. • There was a common understanding among participants in favour of scale enlargement. Abstract Policy makers and researchers foresee four investment strategies for conventional pig farmers in contested pork production regions: (1) continue with a cost-price reduction strategy through modernisation and scale enlargement; (2) convert to an intermediate market segment with higher requirements as to animal welfare and environment than conventional; (3) convert to a niche market segment with higher requirements as to animal welfare and environment than intermediate; or (4) quit farming. For policy makers, it is interesting to gain insight in intensive livestock farmer's perceptions regarding these investments and in processes of social interaction that influence farmer decision-making and the potential diffusion of investment strategies over time (Edwards-Jones, 2006). The aim of this explorative study is to analyse the effect of social interaction on diffusion of investment strategies in capital-intensive livestock production systems with groups of Dutch pig farmers, using a simulation game. The game is designed in such a way that contextual factors do not provide a limiting factor. Furthermore, the game is constructed to stimulate interaction and to trigger imagination of participants. Our main research questions for the analysis of the results of the game sessions were: (1) 'what are differences in diffusion of investment strategies between sessions?', and (2) 'to what extent does social interaction affect diffusion of investment strategies?' A total of seven sessions were played, with 4–8 pig farmers and/or participants who were affiliated to the sector as advisor or successor. All game sessions were video- and voice- recorded, and interaction between participants was transcribed per game session. First, differences in diffusion of investment strategies between sessions were explored. Second, the causes for differences in diffusion between sessions were explored, by looking at the type of investment strategy, communication between participants, and processes of influence. Special attention was given to the influence of opinion leadership. The results of this research show that (1) only investment strategies with a financial benefit did, under influence of social interaction, result in high adoption; (2) for high adoption to occur, communication between participants was necessary; (3) opinion leaders played an essential role in high adoption of investment strategies; and (4) there was a common understanding among participants that favoured scale enlargement. The gaming methodology triggered participants to communicate their tacit knowledge, i.e. assessment criteria that are important in real-life investment decisions, and to experiment with investment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business gaming has profitable applications in education, research, and problem solving. The author dispels several misconceptions about business gaming and shows how if can provide marketing management with an Important decision assisting tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents simulated management situations for the purpose of outlining interdependent decision making strategies. The simulations are designed to help firms test and compare strategies with other companies. Executives must weight the value of decision alternatives according to their probability of occurrence, to determine the relative desirability. Management simulation games offer executives a viable decision matrix other than mathematical models. They indicate relevant values for decision purposes.

In this study, two groups of subjects, one with advanced quantitative training, the other with little or no quantitative training, were exposed to an interactive-decision simulation gaming model to test, experimentally, possible effects of quantitative training. The findings show that the quantitative group achieved a higher level of game-performance but were unable to justify why gaming decisions were necessary. Other conclusions identify possible areas of weakness in quantitative training methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling and simulation are methods of validating new systems that are risky to be directly deployed in the real world. During the simulation, the simulation environment continuously changes and simulation objects correspondingly behave according to the changing situations. In general, modeling the behavior for all possible situations is extremely difficult when the rationale is unknown. Therefore, in order to adapt to the changing situation, it is important to recognize the rationale behind the behaviors of the simulation object. However, in many cases, even though the rationale is unknown or difficult to recognize, the simulation requires reasonable behaviors such as a commander’s decision in a war game simulation and a driver’s behavior in rush hours. In this study, we propose a new approach to determine the behavior of simulation objects under changing situations. The proposal is a unified learning approach that integrates two methods, data-driven and knowledge-driven approaches, which allow simulation objects to learn behavioral knowledge from experience as well as from domain experts performing the simulation and reuse verified knowledge. By combining both approaches, we supplement the shortcomings of one method with the strengths of the other. To verify our method, we apply the proposed approach to a military training simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Taking Klabbers’ call for a coherent game science as a starting point, we argue for an alternative way to approach the multidisciplinarity of research into games.Aim. Building on game studies and design research, this article reviews the history and forecasts the future of studying games.Application. All scholars of games could benefit from an awareness of the works of other game scholars in different traditions. The plurality of approaches towards games is an intellectual strength, even if it is difficult for a single scholar to maintain a holistic grasp on research relating to ‘games’. The multitude not only describes the disciplinary traditions reflecting the wider phenomenon of games and play, but also games as creative practice.Demonstration. While the article is theoretical in nature, we use real-world examples to illustrate and ground the argumentation. For example, a key challenge identified here is that the realm of games and their influence, the ludosphere, is expanding too rapidly for any single researcher to keep up with it.Conclusions. We invite game scholars to cultivate a stronger awareness of the multitude of research into games to better position their own work in a larger context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We survey the results on representations of committees and constitutions by game forms that possess some kind of equilibrium strategies for each profile of preferences of the players. The survey is restricted to discrete models, that is, we deal with finitely many players and alternatives. No prior knowledge of social choice is assumed: As far as definitions are concerned, the paper is self-contained. Section 2 supplies the necessary general tools for the rest of the paper. Each definition is followed by a simple (but nontrivial) example. In Section 3 we give a complete account of representations of committees (proper and monotonic simple games), by exactly and strongly consistent social choice functions. We start with Peleg's representations of weak games, and then provide a complete and detailed account of Holzman's solution of the representation problem for simple games without veto players. In Section 4 we deal with representations of constitutions by game forms. Following Gärdenfors we model a constitution by a monotonic and superadditive effectivity function. We fully characterize the representations for three kinds of equilibrium: Nash equilibrium; acceptable equilibrium (Pareto optimal Nash equilibrium); and strong Nash equilibrium. We conclude in Section 5 with a report on two recent works on representations of constitutions under incomplete information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interaction system has a finite set of agents that interact pairwise, depending on the current state of the system. Symmetric decomposition of the matrix of interaction coefficients yields the representation of states by self-adjoint matrices and hence a spectral representation. As a result, cooperation systems, decision systems and quantum systems all become visible as manifestations of special interaction systems. The treatment of the theory is purely mathematical and does not require any special knowledge of physics. It is shown how standard notions in cooperative game theory arise naturally in this context. In particular, states of general interaction systems are seen to arise as linear superpositions of pure quantum states and Fourier transformation to become meaningful. Moreover, quantum games fall into this framework. Finally, a theory of Markov evolution of interaction states is presented that generalizes classical homogeneous Markov chains to the present context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how to construct subgame-perfect mixed-strategy equilibria in discounted repeated games with perfect monitoring. We introduce a relatively simple class of strategy profiles that are easy to compute and may give rise to a large set of equilibrium payoffs. These sets are called self-supporting sets, since the set itself provides the continuation payoffs that are required to support the equilibrium strategies. Moreover, the corresponding strategies are simple as the players face the same augmented game on each round but they play different mixed actions after each realized pure-action profile. We find that certain payoffs can be obtained in equilibrium with much lower discount factor values compared to pure strategies. The theory and the concepts are illustrated in 2 × 2 games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initial value problem for a reaction-difiusion system with discontinuous nonlinearities proposed by Hofbauer in 1999 as an equilibrium selection model in game theory is studied from the viewpoint of the existence and stability of solutions. An equilibrium selection result using the stability of a constant stationary solution is obtained for finite symmetric 2 person games with a 1/2-dominant equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious gaming is the use of games for purposes beyond entertainment. In this paper, we investigate the use of serious gaming as a tool for research into decision-making in engineering systems design. Serious gaming provides a fully controllable environment in which to study the decision-making behavior of engineers in simulated design scenarios. However, given the nature of games and their inherent association with entertainment, it is possible that gaming environments themselves induce unexpected, or unrepresentative behavior. We present two experiments in which we investigate serious gaming as a research tool. Both experiments deal with design decisions in the presence of sunk costs and compare two approaches for communicating the decision-making scenario: (1) an interactive game and (2) a written narrative. The written narrative approach for communicating decision-making scenarios is a widely used and accepted technique for decision-making research. We find that behavior observed in the game variants did not significantly differ from behavior observed in their written narrative equivalents. This result builds confidence for the use of game-based research approaches. However, the results in this paper suggest that response distributions collected from a game have more noise than those from an equivalent written narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent theoretical contributions have suggested a theory of leadership that is grounded in complexity theory, hence regarding leadership as a complex process (i.e., nonlinear; emergent). This article tests if complexity leadership theory promotes efficiency in work groups. 40 groups of five participants each had to complete four decision making tasks using the city simulation game SimCity4. Before engaging in the four decision making tasks, participants received information regarding what sort of leadership behaviors were more adequate to help them perform better. Results suggest that if complexity leadership theory is applied, groups can achieve higher efficiency over time, when compared with other groups where complexity leadership is not applied. This study goes beyond traditional views of leadership as a centralized form of control, and presents new evidence suggesting that leadership is a collective and emergent phenomenon, anchored in simple rules of behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Humans systematically make poor decisions because of cognitive biases. Can digital games train people to avoid cognitive biases? The goal of this study is to investigate the affordance of different educational media in training people about cognitive biases and to mitigate cognitive biases within their decision-making processes.Method. A between-subject experiment was conducted to compare a digital game, a traditional slideshow, and a combined condition in mitigating two types of cognitive biases: anchoring bias and representativeness bias. We measured both immediate effects and delayed effects after four weeks.Results. The digital game and slideshow conditions were effective in mitigating cognitive biases immediately after the training, but the effects decayed after four weeks. By providing the basic knowledge through the slideshow, then allowing learners to practice bias-mitigation techniques in the digital game, the combined condition was most effective at mitigating the cognitive biases both immediately and after four weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marketing instructors using simulation games as a way of inducing some realism into a marketing course are faced with many dilemmas. Two important quandaries are the optimal size of groups and how much of the students’ time should ideally be devoted to the game. Using evidence from a very large sample of teams playing a simulation game, the study described here seeks to answer two fundamental questions: What effects on performance does group size have? And, is it possible for groups to spend too much time on decision making? The results indicate that performance increases in line with group size until teams have five members, and then tapers off. Furthermore, performance is shown to rise as time spent on decision making increases, up to a point, after which additional time spent on the game is shown to detract from performance. Implications for marketing instructors are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Complex, dynamic systems require flexible workforces with skills and attitudes responding to the dynamic work environment. Traditional, formal classroom-oriented learning approaches often do not sufficiently support the development of such skills and attitudes and do not provide situated learning activities.Aim and Method. We propose the concept of Microgames as an active, situated learning approach. A Microgame is a simulation game that can be played in a short time period and that starts from a specific problem in the organization defined by a problem owner. To illustrate the concept, we introduce a case study with a Microgame called Yard Crane Scheduler.Results. The study’s results indicate that the Microgame used in our study represented an engaging experiential experience. It was able to foster the awareness of the players for interdependent planning tasks. Due to its shortness, the game’s reality is somewhat limited. To compensate for this limitation, a structured debriefing phase enables players to exchange information on successful planning strategies, enhancing the learning experience by a social learning activity.Conclusions. Microgames are a novel approach towards situated, experiential learning. Its limitations, mainly caused by the constrained time for game play, have to be taken into account when defining learning goals. Despite this limitation, the Yard Crane Scheduler Microgame has been evaluated as an engaging and valid tool. Further research will investigate distinct design decisions and learning effects associated with the concept of Microgames. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, new electronic solutions within global e-supply chain allow business partners to obtain and utilize new form of information for business decision making. New e-procurement tools provide competitive advantage and power of purchasing companies to push on supply side. Although, new kind of information from global e-supply chain tools can support suppliers to improve decision making more efficiently. In the paper we are examining the significance of particular information as internal and global ratings, loyalty etc. for decision making to win the procurement tender. For the study, the simulation game was realized and analyzed through decision trees techniques. We have examined different results as from standard correlation tests and show interesting rules for decision making in different situation of suppliers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including recreational gaming, group decision making and simulation use.

This paper presents the results of an empirical study of training procedures enabling flexibility in the design and management of large-scale engineering systems. The work relies on the development and use of a simulation game environment to study decision-making dynamics under different treatment conditions. Evaluation of short-term, long-term, and in-game training is completed to assess the main and interaction effects on quantitative lifecycle performance indicators, and qualitative user impressions. Forty-six graduate engineering students participated in controlled experiments where they worked on the design and management of a flexible emergency medical services system. Results show that in-game training produces a statistically significant improvement on lifecycle performance score, while long-term flexibility training significantly reduces decision-making time. In-game training improves process satisfaction. Both short-term and in-game training lead to improved satisfaction with the results, and contribute to improved anticipated quality of the results. Correlation studies suggest that participants taking more time for decision-making may improve lifecycle performance scores. Lifecycle score improvement also increases as satisfaction with the process and anticipated quality of results increase. Experimental results show that different training procedures produce different effects on design and management decision-making for flexible engineering systems operating under uncertainty. They provide further insights to support the development and evaluation of novel training approaches useful for systems engineering practice and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cooperative games, the core is one of the most popular solution concept since it ensures coalitional rationality. For non-balanced games however, the core is empty, and other solution concepts have to be found. We propose the use of general solutions, that is, to distribute the total worth of the game among groups rather than among individuals. In particular, the $$k$$ -additive core proposed by Grabisch and Miranda is a general solution preserving coalitional rationality which distributes among coalitions of size at most $$k$$ , and is never empty for $$k\ge 2$$ . The extended core of Bejan and Gomez can also be viewed as a general solution, since it implies to give an amount to the grand coalition. The $$k$$ -additive core being an unbounded set and therefore difficult to use in practice, we propose a subset of it called the minimal negotiation set. The idea is to select elements of the $$k$$ -additive core mimimizing the total amount given to coalitions of size greater than 1. Thus the minimum negotiation set naturally reduces to the core for balanced games. We study this set, giving properties and axiomatizations, as well as its relation to the extended core of Bejan and Gomez. We give a method of computing the minimum bargaining set, and lastly indicate how to eventually get classical solutions from general ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies markets for heterogeneous goods using mechanism-design theory. For each combination of desirable properties, we derive an assignment process with these properties in the form of a corresponding direct-revelation game, or we show that it does not exist. Each participant's utility is quasi-linear in money, and depends upon the allocation that he gets and his privately known multidimensional 'type.' The key properties are incentive compatibility, individual rationality, efficiency, and budget balance. The main results characterize mechanisms that are ex post incentive compatible in combination with other properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyze the behavior of bargaining sets in continuum economies when there are restrictions on the formation of coalitions. We provide several characterizations of Vind's (J Math Econ 21:89-97, ) bargaining set in terms of its restricted versions, where not all the coalitions are formed. Moreover, we show that these equivalences do not hold for Mas-Colell's (J Math Econ 18:129-139, ) bargaining set. These findings highlight the different nature of both notions of bargaining sets. Finally, we illustrate the impossibility of extrapolating our results to a more general setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine a modified 2 $$\times $$ 2 game of Hex in which the winner of each cell is determined by a Tullock contest. The player establishing a winning path of cells in the game wins a fixed prize. Examining the polar cases of all cells being contested simultaneously versus all four cells being contested sequentially, we show that there is an increase in the total expected payoff for the players in the sequential case. We identify conditions under which players have identical and non-identical expected payoffs when the contest order is pre-specified. We also examine dissipation for random order contests. We thus provide a canonical model of a multibattle contest in which complementarities between battlefields are heterogeneous across both battlefields and players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes bargaining outcomes when agents do not have stationary time preferences (as represented by a constant discount factor) but are pressed by firm deadlines. We consider a dynamic model where traders with heterogeneous deadlines are matched randomly into pairs who then bargain about the division of a fixed surplus. A trader leaves the market when an agreement has been reached or when his deadline expires. Our analysis encompasses both the case of perfect and imperfect information about the partner's deadline. We define, characterize and show the existence of a stationary equilibrium configuration. We characterize when delay occurs and when deadlines are missed in equilibrium and show that the payoffs of traders are strictly increasing and concave in own deadline, unless bargaining takes place under imperfect information and no delay occurs, in which case all pairs immediately agree on an almost even split. We provide comparative statics exercises and illustrate our results by some examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For several reinforcement learning models in strategic-form games, convergence to action profiles that are not Nash equilibria may occur with positive probability under certain conditions on the payoff function. In this paper, we explore how an alternative reinforcement learning model, where the strategy of each agent is perturbed by a strategy-dependent perturbation (or mutations) function, may exclude convergence to non-Nash pure strategy profiles. This approach extends prior analysis on reinforcement learning in games that addresses the issue of convergence to saddle boundary points. It further provides a framework under which the effect of mutations can be analyzed in the context of reinforcement learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A network congestion game is played on a directed, two-terminal network. Every player chooses a route from his origin to his destination. The cost of a route is the sum of the costs of the arcs on it. The arc cost is a function of the number of players who use it. Rosenthal proved that such a game always has a Nash equilibrium in pure strategies. Here we pursue a systematic study of the classes of networks for which a strong equilibrium is guaranteed to exist, under two opposite monotonicity assumptions on the arc cost functions. Our main results are: (a) If costs are increasing, strong equilibrium is guaranteed on extension-parallel networks, regardless of whether the players' origins and destinations are the same or may differ. (b) If costs are decreasing, and the players have the same origin but possibly different destinations, strong equilibrium is guaranteed on series-parallel networks. (c) If costs are decreasing, and both origins and destinations may differ, strong equilibrium is guaranteed on multiextension-parallel networks. In each case, the network condition is not only sufficient but also necessary in order to guarantee strong equilibrium. These results extend and improve earlier ones by Holzman and Law-Yone in the increasing case, and by Epstein et al. in the decreasing case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of different legal positions in chess is usually estimated to be between $$10^{40}$$ and $$10^{50}$$ . Within this range, the best upper bound $$10^{46}$$ is some orders of magnitude bigger than the estimate $$5 \times 10^{42}$$ made by Claude Shannon in his seminal 1950 paper, which is usually considered by computer scientists to be a better approximation. We improve Shannon's estimate and show that the number of positions where any number of chessmen may have been captured but no promotion has occured is bounded from above by $$2 \times 10^{40}$$ . The actual number should be quite a bit smaller than that and outline possible ways towards improving our result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the bilateral exchange of information in the context of linear quadratic games. An information structure is here represented by a non directed network, whose nodes are agents and whose links represent sharing agreements. We first study the equilibrium use of information given the network, finding that the extent to which a piece of information is observed by others affects the equilibrium use of it, in line with previous results in the literature. We then study the incentives to share information ex-ante, highlighting the role of the elasticity of payoffs to the equilibrium volatility of one's own strategy and of opponents' strategies. For the case of uncorrelated signals we fully characterise pairwise stable networks for the general linear quadratic game. For the case of correlated signals, we study pairwise stable networks for three specific linear quadratic games-Cournot Oligopoly, Keynes' Beauty Contest and a Public Good Game-in which strategies are substitute, complement and orthogonal, respectively. We show that signals' correlation favours the transmission of information, but may also prevent all information from being transmitted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An auctioneer wishes to sell several heterogeneous indivisible items to a group of potential bidders. Each bidder has valuations over the items but may face a budget constraint and therefore be unable to pay up to his values. In such markets, a Walrasian equilibrium may fail to exist. We develop a novel dynamic auction and prove that the auction always finds a core allocation. In the auction prices that have been increased can be later decreased if they have become too high. The core allocation consists of an assignment of the items and its associated supporting price vector, achieves Pareto efficiency, and is robust against the threat of deviation by any coalition of market participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every finite game can be represented as a weighted network congestion game on some undirected two-terminal network. The network topology may reflect certain properties of the game. This paper solves the topological equilibrium-existence problem of identifying all networks on which every weighted network congestion game has a pure-strategy equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, regulatory impact analysis was predominantly based on the rational-choice-assumption of a completely informed and exclusively profit-maximizing homo oeconomicus. Real economic actors, however, are multiple-goal and boundedly rational decision-makers. An exclusive reliance on rational-choice models therefore generates the risk that both the pace and the type of behavioural adaptations to changing institutional environments are misjudged. Against this background, this article addresses three questions. First, can we use business simulation games as a convincing but low-cost experimental tool for policy analysis? Second, how do intentionally varied nitrogen extensification schemes impact the behaviour of students who participate in an explorative business simulation study? Third, do nitrogen reduction policies that are framed as voluntary as opposed to prescriptive schemes have a different impact on behaviour even if they lead to the same profits respectively? In our business simulation game, the student-participants take the role of farmers who are confronted with different policy measures aimed at reducing nitrogen loads. The student-farmers react very differently to different measures even though all measures have an identical impact on profitability. This is an indication that the behavioural changes that can be achieved per Euro of the taxpayers’ money, and therefore the cost efficiency (and smartness) of regulatory measures, are contingent on their specific design. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Business simulations games in education are a valuable asset, as well as their potential benefits are unquestionable. In industry, sophisticated simulators are used to train operators where a mistake on a complicated process could have very expensive or disastrous consequences. This is particularly true of the nuclear industry. Providing managers and operators with simulated but realistic environment before they have to make their decisions on expensive and potentially dangerous technical processes has proven to be a very effective training approach. Simulations are now also being used to help the academic students. Computer simulations help individual students to practice the business decision making without making huge losses in a real company. Involvement simulation into a subject curriculum altered the teachercentric classroom into the learner-centric, where the participants are collaborate with each other, make decisions and solve the problems. These changes also transform the teacher into a coach and a guide in the classroom by allowing students to make experiments help encourage high-level thinking to hypothesize what might happen with their firm in different circumstances: increase/decrease short-term debt, pay the dividends or issue the shares and etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organ donations from deceased donors provide the majority of transplanted organs in the United States, and one deceased donor can save numerous lives by providing multiple organs. Nevertheless, most Americans are not registered organ donors despite the relative ease of becoming one. We study in the laboratory an experimental game modeled on the decision to register as an organ donor and investigate how changes in the management of organ waiting lists might impact donations. We find that an organ allocation policy giving priority on waiting lists to those who previously registered as donors has a significant positive impact on registration. (JEL C91, D64, I11) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between relative earnings and giving in a two-stage, real-effort experiment. In the first stage, four players compete in a tournament that determines their earnings. In the second stage, they decide whether to make a transfer to one or more of their group members. Our main finding is that those ranked first are significantly less likely to give than those ranked second. This difference disappears if individuals learn about the second stage after earning their income or if earnings are randomly determined. This suggests that our main finding is driven by selection based on other-regarding preferences. JEL: D64, J31 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Please cite this paper as: de Wit-Zuurendonk L, Oei S. Serious gaming in women's health care. BJOG 2011;118 (Suppl. 3): 17-21. Computer-based (serious) gaming is a new field in medical education, which has the potential to become an important tool for healthcare professionals for learning a range of clinical skills. To evaluate the current status of serious gaming in medicine, we performed a systematic literature review. In June 2011, we undertook a search in PubMed and Embase databases with the MeSH terms video games, education, training, gaming and healthcare. Thirty relevant papers were identified, reviewed and summarised. The studies showed that serious gaming is a stimulating learning method and that students are enthusiastic about its use. Studies have shown that previous recreational gaming is associated with greater surgical skill, especially for laparoscopy. In addition to surgical skills, serious gaming is potentially a good method for learning clinical decision-making and patient interaction. Games are already being developed for teaching specific clinical skills, for example in cardiology and orthopaedics for example. Initial studies suggest that serious gaming is likely to be an effective training method; however, there is a paucity of studies showing the conclusive clinical benefit of serious gaming. Future studies should focus on demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of serious gaming on skills used in patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in computers, networking, and telecommunications offer new opportunities for using simulation and gaming as methodological tools for improving crisis management. It has become easy to develop virtual environments to support games, to have players at distributed workstations interacting with each other, to have automated controllers supply exogenous events to the players, to enable players to query online data files during the game, and to prepare presentation graphics for use during the game and for post-game debriefings. Videos can be used to present scenario updates to players in 'newscast' format and to present pre-taped briefings by experts to players. Organizations responsible for crisis management are already using such technologies in constructing crisis management systems (CMSs) to coordinate response to a crisis, provide decision support during a crisis, and support activities prior to the crisis and after the crisis. If designed with gaming in mind, those same CMSs could be easily used in a simulation mode to play a crisis management game. Such a use of the system would also provide personnel with opportunities to rehearse for real crises using the same tools they would have available to them in a real crisis. In this paper, we provide some background for the use of simulation and gaming in crisis management training, describe an architecture for simulation and gaming, and present a case study to illustrate how virtual environments can be used for crisis management training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harold Guetzkow’s guidance of research on foreign policy decision making was driven by a core concern: the avoidance of nuclear war and preservation of peace. He aimed to do this by supporting the creation and distribution of new knowledge through experiments aimed at simulating the processes and conditions hypothesized to influence such decisions. This article outlines the progress of his simulation design efforts and their transformations under many whom he mentored as research assistants in this work. It also touches on his beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]