The strategic behavior of rational novices

There is a growing amount of experimental evidence that suggests people often deviate from the predictions of game theory. Some scholars attempt to explain the observations by introducing errors into behavioral models. However, most of these modifications are situation dependent and do not generalize. A new theory, called the rational novice model, is introduced as an attempt to provide a general theory that takes account of erroneous behavior. The rational novice model is based on two central principals. The first is that people systematically make inaccurate guesses when they are evaluating their options in a game-like situation. The second is that people treat their decisions similar to a portfolio problem. As a result, non optimal actions in a game theoretic sense may be included in the rational novice strategy profile with positive weights.

The rational novice model can be divided into two parts: the behavioral model and the equilibrium concept. In a theoretical chapter, the mathematics of the behavioral model and the equilibrium concept are introduced. The existence of the equilibrium is established. In addition, the Nash equilibrium is shown to be a special case of the rational novice equilibrium. In another chapter, the rational novice model is applied to a voluntary contribution game. Numerical methods were used to obtain the solution. The model is estimated with data obtained from the Palfrey and Prisbrey experimental study of the voluntary contribution game. It is found that the rational novice model explains the data better than the Nash model. Although a formal statistical test was not used, pseudo R^2 analysis indicates that the rational novice model is better than a Probit model similar to the one used in the Palfrey and Prisbrey study.

The rational novice model is also applied to a first price sealed bid auction. Again, computing techniques were used to obtain a numerical solution. The data obtained from the Chen and Plott study were used to estimate the model. The rational novice model outperforms the CRRAM, the primary Nash model studied in the Chen and Plott study. However, the rational novice model is not the best amongst all models. A sophisticated rule-of-thumb, called the SOPAM, offers the best explanation of the data.

Reforming state-level coastal management and development policies: strategic retreat as an innovative, proactive and equitable coastal environmental management strategy

Atlantic and Gulf Coast shorelines include some of the most unique and biologically rich ecosystems in the United States that provide immeasurable aesthetic, habitat and economic benefits. Natural coastal ecosystems, however, are under increasing threat from rampant and irresponsible growth and development. Once a boon to local economies, complex natural forces – enhanced by global climate change and sea level rise - are now considered hazards and eroding the very foundation upon which coastal development is based. For nearly a century, beach restoration and erosion control structures have been used to artificially stabilize shorelines in an effort to protect structures and infrastructure. Beach restoration, the import and emplacement of sand on an eroding beach, is expensive, unpredictable, inefficient and may result in long-term environmental impacts. The detrimental environmental impacts of erosion control structures such as sea walls, groins, bulkheads and revetments include sediment deficits, accelerated erosion and beach loss. These and other traditional responses to coastal erosion and storm impacts- along with archaic federal and state policies, subsidies and development incentives - are costly, encourage risky development, artificially increase property values of high-risk or environmentally sensitive properties, reduce the post-storm resilience of shorelines, damage coastal ecosystems and are becoming increasingly unsustainable. Although communities, coastal managers and property owners face increasingly complex and difficult challenges, there is an emerging public, social and political awareness that, without meaningful policy reforms, coastal ecosystems and economies are in jeopardy. Strategic retreat is a sustainable, interdisciplinary management strategy that supports the proactive, planned removal of vulnerable coastal development; reduces risk; increases shoreline resiliency and ensures long term protection of coastal systems. Public policies and management strategies that can overcome common economic misperceptions and promote the removal of vulnerable development will provide state and local policy makers and coastal managers with an effective management tool that concomitantly addresses the economic, environmental, legal and political issues along developed shorelines. (PDF contains 4 pages)

An examination of strategic opportunities provided by the conference committee procedure in the U.S. Congress

Deference to committees in Congress has been a much studied phenomena for close to 100 years. This deference can be characterized as the unwillingness of a potentially winning coalition on the House floor to impose its will on a small minority, a standing committee. The congressional scholar is then faced with two problems: observing such deference to committees, and explaining it. Shepsle and Weingast have proposed the existence of an ex-post veto for standing committees as an explanation of committee deference. They claim that as conference reports in the House and Senate are considered under a rule that does not allow amendments, the conferees enjoy agenda-setting power. In this paper I describe a test of such a hypothesis (along with competing hypotheses regarding the effects of the conference procedure). A random-utility model is utilized to estimate legislators' ideal points on appropriations bills from 1973 through 1980. I prove two things: 1) that committee deference can not be said to be a result of the conference procedure; and moreover 2) that committee deference does not appear to exist at all.

El sector agrario guipuzcoano en la encrucijada de los siglos XVI y XVII

[ES]La presente investigación pretende analizar la situación del sector agrario guipuzcoano durante los siglos XVI y XVII, período en el que el sector agropecuario guipuzcoano experimentó una serie de cambios profundos, adoptando una nueva fisionomía, que se consolidó durante los siglos XVIII y XIX, principalmente debido al impacto de la expansión del maíz. Lejos de generalizar a todo el territorio las diferentes dinámicas, se intentará analizar la geografía y ritmo de dichos cambios y transformaciones; la diversidad de situaciones fue importante, teniendo en cuenta que se partía de diferentes condiciones ortográficas, climáticas y económicas.

Responsabilidad social empresarial, estrategia y ventaja competitiva en el sector bancario español

Las prácticas de responsabilidad social empresarial han ido adquiriendo en los últimos años una gran notoriedad, tanto en el ámbito empresarial como académico y social. Sin embargo, desde un punto de vista económico, académicos y empresarios aún no se han puesto de acuerdo sobre los beneficios que reporta para las propias empresas la aplicación de medidas socialmente responsables. Utilizando como marco de referencia la filosofía del valor compartido, en este trabajo los autores realizan un acercamiento empírico al estudio de las consecuencias que la implantación de medidas de responsabilidad social empresarial ha tenido en la cadena de valor de cuatro de las principales entidades bancarias españolas (Santander, BBVA, CaixaBank y Bankia). Los resultados muestran los beneficios que dichas prácticas han venido reportando a las entidades en términos de reputación, ahorro en costes, satisfacción de empleados y relación con los grupos de interés, a excepción del caso de Bankia, condicionada por su reciente restructuración bancaria.

Strategic partnership of stakeholders: a veritable tool for sustainable fishery resources in Nigeria

Fishery resources are very important resource from the aquatic environment to the Nigerian economy. Stakeholders involvement in its management is highly important therefore, this paper proposes two frameworks against which sustainable fishery should be based, vis-a-vis stakeholders participation. The paper showed that decision-making involving stakeholders would enhance the goals of sustainable fishery development and create unity of purpose among various stakeholders

Crowdfunding para organizaciones del Tercer y Cuarto Sector

Máster en Dirección Empresarial desde la Innovación y la Internacionalización. Curso 2013/2014

Environmental fiscal reform and unemployment in Spain in the presence of an informal sector

4 p.

Effects of Climate Change on the European Nuclear Power Sector

4 p.

Environmental Concerns in Water Pricing Policy: an Application of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)

25 p.

The Slow Search for Solutions: Lessons from Historical Energy Transitions by Sector and Service

28 p.

Impacts of Climate Change on European Critical Infrastructures: The Case of the Power Sector

23 p.

International Support of Climate Change Policies in Developing Countries: Strategic, Moral and Fairness Aspects

33 p.