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Competitive Behavior in Market Games: Evidence and Theory

Author

Listed:
  • John Duffy
  • Alexander Matros
  • Ted Temzelides

Abstract

We explore whether competitive outcomes arise in an experimental implementation of a market game, introduced by Shubik (1972). Market games obtain Pareto inferior (strict) Nash equilibria, in which some or possibly all markets are closed. We find that subjects do not coordinate on autarkic Nash equilibria, but favor more efficient Nash equilibria in which all markets are open. As the number of subjects participating in the market game increases, the Nash equilibrium they achieve approximates the associated competitive equilibrium of the underlying economy. Motivated by these findings, we provide a theoretical argument for why evolutionary forces can lead to competitive outcomes in market games.

Suggested Citation

  • John Duffy & Alexander Matros & Ted Temzelides, 2008. "Competitive Behavior in Market Games: Evidence and Theory," Working Paper 366, Department of Economics, University of Pittsburgh, revised Jul 2010.
    • Handle: RePEc:pit:wpaper:366
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    File URL: http://www.econ.pitt.edu/papers/John_dmt072910.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Burkhard C. Schipper & Peter Duersch & Joerg Oechssler, 2010. "Pure Saddle Points and Symmetric Relative Payoff Games," Working Papers 301, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics.
    2. Athreya, Kartik B., 2014. "Big Ideas in Macroeconomics: A Nontechnical View," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262019736, December.
    3. Peter Duersch & Jörg Oechssler & Burkhard Schipper, 2012. "Pure strategy equilibria in symmetric two-player zero-sum games," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 41(3), pages 553-564, August.
    4. Duersch, Peter & Oechssler, Jörg & Schipper, Burkhard C., 2010. "Pure Saddle Points and Symmetric Relative Payoff Games," Working Papers 0500, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games
    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • D51 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Exchange and Production Economies

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