The marketing department of a company is deciding on the price to charge for a key product. In setting this price, marketing needs to consider the price that a major competitor will charge for a similar product because the competitor's price will affect the demand for the company's product. Similarly, in setting its price, the competitor will consider what the company will charge.
What is an appropriate mathematical technique for analyzing such a decision?
- Game theory.
- Probability theory.
- Linear programming.
- Sensitivity analysis.
Answer(s): A
Explanation:
Game (or decision) theory is a mathematical approach to decision making when confronted with an enemy or competitor. Games are classified according to the number of players and the algebraic sum of the payoffs. In a two-person game, if the payoff is given by the loser to the winner, the algebraic sum is zero and the game is called a zero-sum game. If it is possible for both players to profit, however, the game is a positive-sum game. Mathematical models have been developed to select optimal strategies for certain simple games.