Robust Dynamic Cooperative Games

Classical cooperative game theory is no longer a suitable tool for those situations where the values of coalitions are not known with certainty. Recent works address situations where the values of coalitions are modelled by random variables. In this work we still consider the values of coalitions as uncertain, but model them as unknown but bounded disturbances. We do not focus on solving a specific game, but rather consider a family of games described by a polyhedron: each point in the polyhedron is a vector of coalitions’ values and corresponds to a specific game. We consider a dynamic context where while we know with certainty the average value of each coalition on the long run, at each time such a value is unknown and fluctuates within the bounded polyhedron. Then, it makes sense to define “robust” allocation rules, i.e., allocation rules that bound, within a pre- defined threshold, a so-called complaint vector while guaranteeing a certain average (over time) allocation vector. We also present as motivating example a joint replenishment application

The international stock pollutant control: a stochastic formulation

In this paper we provide a stochastic dynamic game formulation of the economics of international environmental agreements on the transnational pollution control when the environmental damage arises from stock pollutant that accumulates, for accumulating pollutants such as CO2 in the atmosphere. To improve the cooperative and the noncooperative equilibrium among countries, we propose the criteria of the minimization of the expected discounted total cost. Moreover, we consider Stochastic Dynamic Games formulated as Stochastic Dynamic Programming and Cooperative versus Noncooperative Stochastic Dynamic Games. The performance of the proposed schemes is illustrated by a real data based example

The international stock pollutant control: a stochastic formulation

In this paper we provide a stochastic dynamic game formulation of the economics of international environmental agreements on the transnational pollution control when the environmental damage arises from stock pollutant that accumulates, for accumulating pollutants such as CO2 in the atmosphere. To improve the cooperative and the noncooperative equilibrium among countries, we propose the criteria of the minimization of the expected discounted total cost. Moreover, we consider Stochastic Dynamic Games formulated as Stochastic Dynamic Programming and Cooperative versus Noncooperative Stochastic Dynamic Games. The performance of the proposed schemes is illustrated by a real data based example.Stochastic optimal control, Markov decision processes, Stochastic dynamic programming, Stochastic dynamic games, International pollutant control, Environmental economics, Sustainability,

Bargaining Set Solution Concepts in Dynamic Cooperative Games

This paper is concerned with the question of defining the bargaining set, a cooperative game solution, when cooperation takes place in a dynamic setting. The focus is on dynamic cooperative games in which the players face (finite or infinite) sequences of exogenously specified TU-games and receive sequences of imputations against those static cooperative games in each time period. Two alternative definitions of what a ‘sequence of coalitions’ means in such a context are considered, in respect to which the concept of a dynamic game bargaining set may be defined, and existence and non-existence results are studied. A solution concept we term ‘subgame-stable bargaining set sequences’ is also defined, and sufficient conditions are given for the non-emptiness of subgame-stable solutions in the case of a finite number of time periods.Cooperative game; Repeated game; Bargaining set

Cooperative Control and Potential Games

We present a view of cooperative control using the language of learning in games. We review the game-theoretic concepts of potential and weakly acyclic games, and demonstrate how several cooperative control problems, such as consensus and dynamic sensor coverage, can be formulated in these settings. Motivated by this connection, we build upon game-theoretic concepts to better accommodate a broader class of cooperative control problems. In particular, we extend existing learning algorithms to accommodate restricted action sets caused by the limitations of agent capabilities and group based decision making. Furthermore, we also introduce a new class of games called sometimes weakly acyclic games for time-varying objective functions and action sets, and provide distributed algorithms for convergence to an equilibrium

Multicriteria Dynamic Optimization Problems and Cooperative Dynamic Games

We survey some recent research results in the field of dynamic cooperative differential games with non-transferable utilities. Problems which fit into this framework occur for instance if a person has more than one objective he likes to optimize or if several persons decide to combine efforts in trying to realize their individual goals. We assume that all persons act in a dynamic environment and that no side-payments take place. For these kind of problems the notion of Pareto efficiency plays a fundamental role. In economic terms, an allocation in which no one can be made better-off without someone else becoming worseoff is called Pareto efficient. In this paper we present as well necessary as sufficient conditions for existence of a Pareto optimum for general non-convex games. These results are elaborated for the special case that the environment can be modeled by a set of linear differential equations and the objectives can be modeled as functions containing just affine quadratic terms. Furthermore we will consider for these games the convex case. In general there exists a continuum of Pareto solutions and the question arises which of these solutions will be chosen by the participating persons. We will flash some ideas from the axiomatic theory of bargaining, which was initiated by Nash [16, 17], to predict the compromise the persons will reach.Dynamic Optimization;Pareto Efficiency;Cooperative Differential Games;LQ The- ory;Riccati Equations;Bargaining

On the Core of Dynamic Cooperative Games

We consider dynamic cooperative games, where the worth of coalitions varies over time according to the history of allocations. When defining the core of a dynamic game, we allow the possibility for coalitions to deviate at any time and thereby to give rise to a new environment. A coalition that considers a deviation needs to take the consequences into account because from the deviation point on, the game is no longer played with the original set of players. The deviating coalition becomes the new grand coalition which, in turn, induces a new dynamic game. The stage games of the new dynamical game depend on all previous allocation including those that have materialized from the deviating time on. We define three types of core solutions: fair core, stable core and credible core. We characterize the first two in case where the instantaneous game depends on the last allocation (rather than on the whole history of allocations) and the third in the general case. The analysis and the results resembles to a great extent the theory of non-cooperative dynamic games.Comment: 25 page

Self-Enforcing Climate Change Treaties: A Generalized Differential Game Approach with Applications

Based on recent proposals on non cooperative dynamic games for analysing climate negotiation outcomes, such as Dutta and Radner (2004, 2006a), we generalize a specific framework for modelling differential games of this type and describe the set of conditions for the existence of closed loop dynamics and its relation to adaptive evolutionary dynamics. We then show that the Dutta and Radner (2004, 2006a) discrete time dynamic setup is a specific case of that generalization and describe the dynamics both analytically and numerically for closed loop feedback and perfect state patterns. Our discussion is completed with the introduction of a cooperative differential framework for welfare analysis purposes, within our non cooperative proposal for climate negotiations.Differential Game Theory, Environmental Economics, Evolutionary Dynamics, Climate Change Treaties

Open loop and feedback solutions to an institutional game under non-quadratic preferences

Until now most research in dynamic games focus on models with quadratic objective functions because of practical considerations. But in reality, all problems are not quadratic. In this paper, we solve a differential game where players have non-quadratic preferences. In particular we consider an institutional game governing a permanent interaction between civil society organizations and Government in the economy in the presence of corruption. At the first stage, we compute analytically and solve numerically the open loop and cooperative outcome of the differential game. At the second stage, we approximated analytically and solved numerically the feedback strategies at equilibrium. As results, we found that both open loop and cooperative solution are unique and stable while multiple feedback Nash equilibria should arise. As economic implications, we found that under cooperative play the magnitude of the civil monitoring effort is lower than the one in open loop game. This in turn is smaller than the magnitude of effort associated to the best feedback equilibrium. Total factor productivity effects always dominate the detrimental effect of individual effort devoted to production in almost all situations. Furthermore, institutions improve much faster under cooperative scenario than in open loop game. These results have a similar format with the ones obtained under linear quadratic differential game at least for open loop and cooperative games.Institutions, corruption, civil society, dynamic games, dynamic programming, non-quadratic preferences, Markovian strategies

Dynamic matching and bargaining games: A general approach

This paper presents a new characterization result for competitive allocations in quasilinear economies. This result is informed by the analysis of non-cooperative dynamic search and bargaining games. Such games provide models of decentralized markets with trading frictions. A central objective of this literature is to investigate how equilibrium outcomes depend on the level of the frictions. In particular, does the trading outcome become Walrasian when frictions become small? Existing specifications of such games provide divergent answers. The characterization result is used to investigate what causes these differences and to generalize insights from the analysis of specific search and bargaining games.Dynamic Matching and Bargaining, Decentralized Markets, Non-cooperative Foundations of Competitive Equilibrium, Search Theory