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Evolutionary stability and Nash equilibrium in finite populations, with an application to price competition

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Schaffer (1988) proposed a concept of evolutionary stability for finite-population models that has interesting implications in economic models of evolutionary learning, since it is related to perfectly competitive equilibrium. The present paper explores the relation of this concept to Nash equilibrium in particular classes of games, including constant-sum games, games with weak payoff externalities, and games where imitative decision rules are individually improving. An illustration of the latter is provided in the context of Bertrand oligopoly with homogeneous product which allows for a characterization of the set of evolutionarily stable prices.

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  • Ana B. Ania, 2005. "Evolutionary stability and Nash equilibrium in finite populations, with an application to price competition," Vienna Economics Papers vie0601, University of Vienna, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:vie:viennp:vie0601
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    1. Hehenkamp, Burkhard & Possajennikov, Alex & Guse, Tobias, 2010. "On the equivalence of Nash and evolutionary equilibrium in finite populations," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 254-258, February.
    2. Matsumura, Toshihiro, 2012. "Welfare consequence of an asymmetric regulation in a mixed Bertrand duopoly," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 115(1), pages 94-96.
    3. Thomas Vallée & Murat Yıldızoğlu, 2013. "Can They Beat the Cournot Equilibrium? Learning with Memory and Convergence to Equilibria in a Cournot Oligopoly," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 41(4), pages 493-516, April.
    4. Duersch, Peter & Oechssler, Jörg & Schipper, Burkhard C., 2012. "Unbeatable imitation," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 88-96.
    5. Accinelli, Elvio & Covarrubias, Enrique, 2015. "Evolution in a Walrasian setting," MPRA Paper 64736, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Konrad, Kai A. & Morath, Florian, 2016. "Bargaining with incomplete information: Evolutionary stability in finite populations," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 118-131.
    7. Zhang, Yanfang & Mei, Shue & Zhong, Weijun, 2011. "Stochastic evolutionary selection in finite populations," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 2743-2747.
    8. repec:zbw:rwirep:0497 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. 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.
    10. Duersch, Peter & Oechssler, Joerg & Schipper, Burkhard C, 2010. "Pure Saddle Points and Symmetric Relative Payoff Games," MPRA Paper 20864, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Takuya Iimura & Toshimasa Maruta & Takahiro Watanabe, 2020. "Two-person pairwise solvable games," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 49(2), pages 385-409, June.
    12. Robert Philipowski, 2016. "Spiteful behavior can make everybody better off," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 113-116, June.
    13. Gu, Yiquan & Hehenkamp, Burkhard & Leininger, Wolfgang, 2019. "Evolutionary equilibrium in contests with stochastic participation: Entry, effort and overdissipation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 469-485.
    14. Duersch, Peter & Oechssler, Jörg & Schipper, Burkhard C., 2012. "Unbeatable imitation," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 88-96.
    15. Wolfgang Leininger & Hamed Moghadam, 2014. "Evolutionary Stability in Asymmetric Oligopoly. A Non-Walrasian Result," Ruhr Economic Papers 0497, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    16. Ania, Ana B. & Wagener, Andreas, 2009. "The Open Method of Coordination (OMC) as an Evolutionary Learning Process," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-416, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    17. Takuya Iimura, 2020. "Unilaterally competitive games with more than two players," International Journal of Game Theory, Springer;Game Theory Society, vol. 49(3), pages 681-697, September.
    18. 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.
    19. Aloys L. Prinz, 2019. "Indirect Evolution and Aggregate-Taking Behavior in a Football League: Utility Maximization, Profit Maximization, and Success," Games, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-12, May.
    20. Hamed Markazi Moghadam, 2020. "Price and non-price competition in an oligopoly: an analysis of relative payoff maximizers," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 507-521, April.
    21. Thomas W. L. Norman, 2021. "Evolutionary stability in the generalized second-price auction," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 71(1), pages 235-250, February.
    22. Jonas Hedlund, 2015. "Imitation in Cournot oligopolies with multiple markets," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 60(3), pages 567-587, November.
    23. Leininger, Wolfgang & Moghadam, Hamed M., 2014. "Evolutionary Stability in Asymmetric Oligopoly. A Non-Walrasian Result," Ruhr Economic Papers 497, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    24. Takuya Iimura & Toshimasa Maruta & Takahiro Watanabe, 2019. "Equilibria in games with weak payoff externalities," Economic Theory Bulletin, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 7(2), pages 245-258, December.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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