COURSE NUMBER: EWMBAW211-1

COURSE TITLE: Game Theory

INSTRUCTOR: John Morgan

E-MAIL ADDRESS: morgan@haas.berkeley.edu

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION (HTTP URL): bCourses

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: 15 Week course with live synchronous sessions on Wednesday evenings from  6:00 – 7:30 PM PST via Adobe Connect. In addition there will be an optional GSI section that meets on Fridays from 5:00 - 6:30PM. This section will not be mandatory but will serve a key part of the course. The first live session (First Class Session) will occur on January 18th.  There is an online Mandatory Technology Orientation that all students must attend prior to the first class session*.

Please note that most of the live synchronous sessions will run for around 60 minutes, but with occasional sessions lasting up to 90 minutes. The remainder of the course, about 67%, is delivered via online content and interactive simulations where you will compete with other class members.  

*NOTE: Mandatory Technology Orientation: Wednesday, January 11th between 6:00 -7:00 PM PST. You must attend this orientation prior to the start of the course via Adobe Connect. This will be an opportunity for you to test your system requirements and ask any questions related to the technology and online platform.

CLASS FORMAT:
Note that this course will be taught in a fully online format, where all the course content is delivered online with asynchronous online work (e.g. videos, assignments, group work, and assessments) that students can complete anytime within the week in which the work is assigned and mandatory “live” online synchronous sessions with Professor Morgan on Thursday evenings noted above.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS*: This class requires students to have access to reliable, high-speed internet connection, a computer that has a webcam and can run the most recent versions of the browsers  (Firefox, Chrome, or Safari),  Students should not use any type of mobile device in order to participate in the live sessions. A webcam and headset microphone (to avoid feedback) are required for participation in the live sessions. Many modern computers have integrated webcams that will work well. In addition to these technical requirements, students are required to join class from a quiet and well-lit learning environment.

Please watch this short orientation video on what the system requirements are to be successful in this course for the live sessions:
Preparing for your online classroom

*NOTE: Students attending live sessions without these resources may be unable to fully participate and will not receive full participation credit.

PREREQUISITE(S): None.

REQUIRED READINGS:
Avinash K. Dixit and Barry J. Nalebuff, The Art of Strategy: A Game Theorist's Guide to Success in Business and Life, ISBN-10 0393337170
David McAdams, Game Changers, ISBN-10 0393239675
Gibbons, R. Game Theory for Applied Economists (optional text), ISBN-10 0691003955
Plus a series of case readings provided through Study.net

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE:

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES:
This course is a survey of the main ideas and techniques of game-theory as they relate to competitive strategy, bargaining, conflict, and negotiation. As such, the course emphasizes the identification and analysis of archetypal strategic situations frequently occurring in strategic situations.
The key learning objectives are:

  1. Apply game-theoretic analysis, both formally and intuitively, to formulate and implement strategy.
  2. Develop the ability to engage in outward thinking—planning and strategy based on the idea that rivals have their own objectives and capabilities that must be accounted for in developing strategy.
  3. Build a toolbox of key game theory concepts, such as the value of commitment that can be used to fundamentally alter unfavorable strategic situations and transform them into something more promising. Simply put, students will learn how to “change the game” in exploiting strategic situations.

The course has a strong experiential component. Students will repeatedly participate in a variety of games based on real-world business situations thereby developing the ability to translate their analyses into practice. The experiences require students to use analytic, economic, and psychological skills. The mid-semester and final projects also emphasize translating the core concepts into usable strategies in real-world markets.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:
John Morgan is a Professor at the Haas School of Business School and the Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley. He won the Cheit Award in the Full-time MBA Program in 2007 and 2015 for the Game Theory course.

Morgan is the Oliver and Dolores Williamson Chair of the Economics of Organizations.. He is also the Founding Director of Xlab, Berkeley's laboratory for economic experiments, Faculty Leader of  the Center for Executive Education. His area of expertise is online strategy, and he has consulted with Amazon, Google, Yahoo, and PayPal, among many other clients.

Prior to joining Haas, Dr. Morgan was at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.

Professor Morgan holds a Ph. D. in Economics from The Pennsylvania State University and is a CPA. He is an alumnus of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Professor Morgan has published over a hundred academic and practitioner oriented articles. His recent research centers on three, main topics:
-Pricing, advertising, and business strategy in the online marketplace-Data analytics and disposition of authority in organizations
-Navigating risks and successfully commercializing innovation in startups