<p>Background: Sporting events conveyed by the TV medium affect people and can give many unforgettable experiences. Sport may be synonymous with excitement and drama or just serve as entertainment. Through TV broadcasts from different sporting events, millions of televiewers all over the world have enjoyed athletic feats of extreme top class. TV broadcast sport always attracts a great number of viewers, also in Sweden. The prices of broadcasting rights to sporting events have risen strongly during the last decade, much as a consequence of the increasing competition between different TV companies both internationally and in Sweden. The development of prices is also a result of the monopoly situation which exists in the sales link of broadcasting rights, where the sport organizations and the companies holding the original rights, have learnt to make the most of their market power. </p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the TV market concerning the broadcasting rights to sporting events. This is done starting from Robert Axelrod's theory of co-operation. The thesis is that different TV companies, through an implicit kind of co-operation, could be able to counteract the monopoly situation, which exists in the retail link of broadcasting rights. This might be done in a way that lowers the price of the rights to a level closer to the marginal cost. </p><p>Method: The basis of this paper is mainly Robert Axelrod's theory of co- operation, used in a qualitative study starting from a scientific hermeneutic point of view. The frame of reference is built on an already existing theory applied on a problem, which gives the paper a deductive character. The material has been gathered from literature, newspapers and the Internet completed with interviews with representatives of the studied TV channels on the Swedish market. </p><p>Results: The results show that it can be rational for TV channels to co-operate concerning the broadcasting rights of sporting events. An absolute condition for achieving a mutual co-operation is that the discount rate is high enough and that the parties can put aside any possible jealousy. But there are problems if the parties value their own rights considerably less than those of their competitors. If they exploit the opponent and he answers by making a counter defection, the counter defection will not seem deterrent. This makes it more difficult to achieve a mutual co-operation. It is difficult to give a verdict on the opportunities of co-operation on the Swedish market, as we do not know exactly how the parties value the different rights. Listing the rights gives a negative influence on the possibilities of achieving a mutual co-operation between certain TV channels, because it destroys the possibilities of certain channels to retaliate. At the same time the possibility of mutual co-operation increases between the channels which are not involved in the restrictions. This happens because the parties are fewer and it leads to an increased degree of interaction. If co-operation is achieved the prices of the broadcasting rights can be cut down which would reduce the deadweight loss which arises as a result of the monopoly situation in the sales link.</p> / <p>Bakgrund: Sportögonblick förmedlade genom TV-mediet berör och kan ge många oförglömliga upplevelser. Sport kan vara synonymt med spänning och dramatik eller enbart tjäna som underhållning. Genom TV-utsändningar från olika sportevenemang har miljontals tittare världen över kommit i åtnjutande av idrottsprestationer av yttersta världsklass. TV-utsänd sport får ofta höga tittarsiffror, så även i Sverige. Priserna på sändningsrättigheter kopplade till sport har under det senaste decenniet stigit kraftigt, mycket till följd av en allt större konkurrens mellan olika TV-bolag, både internationellt och i Sverige. Prisutvecklingen är också ett resultat av den monopolsituation som finns i försäljningsledet av sändningsrättigheter, där idrottsorganisationer och rättighetsbolag, som äger de ursprungliga rättigheterna, har lärt sig att utnyttja sin marknadsmakt. </p><p>Syfte: Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att analysera TV-marknaden när det gäller sändningsrättigheter kopplade till sportevenemang. Detta görs utifrån en spelteoretisk ansats, i form av Robert Axelrods samarbetsteori, som bygger på studier av upprepade spel av fångarnas dilemma. Tesen är att olika TV-bolag genom en implicit form av samarbete, som går ut på att TV-bolagen i framtiden enbart bjuder på de sändningsrättigheter de har idag, skulle kunna motverka de negativa effekter som den monopolsituation som finns i försäljningsledet av sändningsrättigeter genererar, på ett sådant sätt att priset på rättigheterna sjunker till en nivå som ligger närmare marginalkostnaden för produktion. </p><p>Metod: Uppsatsen utgår från Robert Axelrods samarbetsteori, som har använts i en kvalitativ studie med ett hermeneutiskt vetenskapsideal som utgångspunkt. Referensramen bygger på redan befintlig teori, som appliceras på en problemställning, vilket gör att uppsatsen är deduktiv till sin karaktär. Material har inhämtats med hjälp av litteratur, tidningar och Internet, och har därtill kompletterats med kortare intervjuer med företrädare för de studerade TV-kanalerna på den svenska marknaden. </p><p>Resultat: Resultatet visar att det kan vara rationellt för TV-kanaler att samarbeta när det gäller sändningsrättigheter kopplade till sportevenemang. En absolut förutsättning för att uppnå ömsesidigt samarbete är att diskonteringsfaktorn är tillräckligt hög och att parterna kan lägga eventuell avundsjuka därhän. Men det finns problem, om parterna till exempel värderar sina egna rättigheter betydligt lägre än konkurrenternas. Om de exploaterar motståndaren och denne svarar med ett motavhopp, verkar motavhoppet inte avskräckande. Detta försvårar möjligheterna att uppnå ömsesidigt samarbete. Det är svårt att uttala sig om förutsättningarna för samarbete på den svenska marknaden, då vi inte vet exakt hur parterna värderar olika rättigheter. En listning av rättigheter inverkar negativt på möjligheterna att nå ömsesidigt samarbete mellan vissa TV-kanaler, eftersom den omintetgör vissa kanalers möjligheter att utöva vedergällning. Samtidigt ökar dock möjligheterna till ömsesidigt samarbete mellan de kanaler som inte omfattas av restriktionerna eftersom aktörerna blir färre till antalet, vilket leder till att interaktionsgraden ökar. Om ett samarbete kommer till stånd, kan priserna på rättigheterna pressas, vilket skulle reducera den allokeringsförlust som uppkommer till följd av monopolsituationen i försäljningsledet.</p>

After Sweden became a member of the European Union, EU, the debate regarding the Swedish participation in the EU’s currency co-operation, the European Monetary Union, EMU, has been intense. One of the biggest issues has been how our national economic politics will work within such a monetary union. What instrument will remain for the national economic politics within the EMU are highly uncertain. The question whether we will be able to affect our own economy or not has long been the essence in the Swedish debate. At the same time that Sweden got membership in the EU, Austria became a member as well. Austria is just like Sweden a small open economy with many similarities to Sweden with regard to politics and economics. One big difference between the countries though, is that Austria at once became a member of the currency co-operation and joined the EMU from the start of it. The debates regarding the EMU has been very much alike in the two countries, though it differs in one important question. One big question that has been raised in Austria is the potential of a wider co-operation within the EMU than at present. This discussion has led to suggestions of a wider co-operation through discussions between the EMU-countries, larger possibilities for sanctions against countries which are not following the common economic plan or even suggestions about a politic union. There is very much a discussion in the spirit of collectivism. In Sweden non of this is even an issue. Here the whole debate is focused on the national possibilities and losses in a monetary union. How the country will be able to optimise its own good within the EMU is the only thing of interest in the Swedish debate. The point of view is always the national good and has never the collectivism in mind.

Background: Sporting events conveyed by the TV medium affect people and can give many unforgettable experiences. Sport may be synonymous with excitement and drama or just serve as entertainment. Through TV broadcasts from different sporting events, millions of televiewers all over the world have enjoyed athletic feats of extreme top class. TV broadcast sport always attracts a great number of viewers, also in Sweden. The prices of broadcasting rights to sporting events have risen strongly during the last decade, much as a consequence of the increasing competition between different TV companies both internationally and in Sweden. The development of prices is also a result of the monopoly situation which exists in the sales link of broadcasting rights, where the sport organizations and the companies holding the original rights, have learnt to make the most of their market power. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the TV market concerning the broadcasting rights to sporting events. This is done starting from Robert Axelrod's theory of co-operation. The thesis is that different TV companies, through an implicit kind of co-operation, could be able to counteract the monopoly situation, which exists in the retail link of broadcasting rights. This might be done in a way that lowers the price of the rights to a level closer to the marginal cost. Method: The basis of this paper is mainly Robert Axelrod's theory of co- operation, used in a qualitative study starting from a scientific hermeneutic point of view. The frame of reference is built on an already existing theory applied on a problem, which gives the paper a deductive character. The material has been gathered from literature, newspapers and the Internet completed with interviews with representatives of the studied TV channels on the Swedish market. Results: The results show that it can be rational for TV channels to co-operate concerning the broadcasting rights of sporting events. An absolute condition for achieving a mutual co-operation is that the discount rate is high enough and that the parties can put aside any possible jealousy. But there are problems if the parties value their own rights considerably less than those of their competitors. If they exploit the opponent and he answers by making a counter defection, the counter defection will not seem deterrent. This makes it more difficult to achieve a mutual co-operation. It is difficult to give a verdict on the opportunities of co-operation on the Swedish market, as we do not know exactly how the parties value the different rights. Listing the rights gives a negative influence on the possibilities of achieving a mutual co-operation between certain TV channels, because it destroys the possibilities of certain channels to retaliate. At the same time the possibility of mutual co-operation increases between the channels which are not involved in the restrictions. This happens because the parties are fewer and it leads to an increased degree of interaction. If co-operation is achieved the prices of the broadcasting rights can be cut down which would reduce the deadweight loss which arises as a result of the monopoly situation in the sales link. / Bakgrund: Sportögonblick förmedlade genom TV-mediet berör och kan ge många oförglömliga upplevelser. Sport kan vara synonymt med spänning och dramatik eller enbart tjäna som underhållning. Genom TV-utsändningar från olika sportevenemang har miljontals tittare världen över kommit i åtnjutande av idrottsprestationer av yttersta världsklass. TV-utsänd sport får ofta höga tittarsiffror, så även i Sverige. Priserna på sändningsrättigheter kopplade till sport har under det senaste decenniet stigit kraftigt, mycket till följd av en allt större konkurrens mellan olika TV-bolag, både internationellt och i Sverige. Prisutvecklingen är också ett resultat av den monopolsituation som finns i försäljningsledet av sändningsrättigheter, där idrottsorganisationer och rättighetsbolag, som äger de ursprungliga rättigheterna, har lärt sig att utnyttja sin marknadsmakt. Syfte: Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att analysera TV-marknaden när det gäller sändningsrättigheter kopplade till sportevenemang. Detta görs utifrån en spelteoretisk ansats, i form av Robert Axelrods samarbetsteori, som bygger på studier av upprepade spel av fångarnas dilemma. Tesen är att olika TV-bolag genom en implicit form av samarbete, som går ut på att TV-bolagen i framtiden enbart bjuder på de sändningsrättigheter de har idag, skulle kunna motverka de negativa effekter som den monopolsituation som finns i försäljningsledet av sändningsrättigeter genererar, på ett sådant sätt att priset på rättigheterna sjunker till en nivå som ligger närmare marginalkostnaden för produktion. Metod: Uppsatsen utgår från Robert Axelrods samarbetsteori, som har använts i en kvalitativ studie med ett hermeneutiskt vetenskapsideal som utgångspunkt. Referensramen bygger på redan befintlig teori, som appliceras på en problemställning, vilket gör att uppsatsen är deduktiv till sin karaktär. Material har inhämtats med hjälp av litteratur, tidningar och Internet, och har därtill kompletterats med kortare intervjuer med företrädare för de studerade TV-kanalerna på den svenska marknaden. Resultat: Resultatet visar att det kan vara rationellt för TV-kanaler att samarbeta när det gäller sändningsrättigheter kopplade till sportevenemang. En absolut förutsättning för att uppnå ömsesidigt samarbete är att diskonteringsfaktorn är tillräckligt hög och att parterna kan lägga eventuell avundsjuka därhän. Men det finns problem, om parterna till exempel värderar sina egna rättigheter betydligt lägre än konkurrenternas. Om de exploaterar motståndaren och denne svarar med ett motavhopp, verkar motavhoppet inte avskräckande. Detta försvårar möjligheterna att uppnå ömsesidigt samarbete. Det är svårt att uttala sig om förutsättningarna för samarbete på den svenska marknaden, då vi inte vet exakt hur parterna värderar olika rättigheter. En listning av rättigheter inverkar negativt på möjligheterna att nå ömsesidigt samarbete mellan vissa TV-kanaler, eftersom den omintetgör vissa kanalers möjligheter att utöva vedergällning. Samtidigt ökar dock möjligheterna till ömsesidigt samarbete mellan de kanaler som inte omfattas av restriktionerna eftersom aktörerna blir färre till antalet, vilket leder till att interaktionsgraden ökar. Om ett samarbete kommer till stånd, kan priserna på rättigheterna pressas, vilket skulle reducera den allokeringsförlust som uppkommer till följd av monopolsituationen i försäljningsledet.

Em uma metacontingência, respostas de dois ou mais indivíduos interagindo (denominadas um culturante) produzem estímulos (denominados de consequências culturais) capazes de afetar a recorrências daquelas respostas. Resultados de experimentos sobre metacontingência têm sido tratados como demonstrações de um tipo de seleção cultural. Além de sugerir a importância de interações verbais entre participantes, alguns desses experimentos têm empregado tarefas baseadas no dilema do prisioneiro repetido (iterated prisoners dilemma, IPD) interpretando-o, porém, como a programação apenas de contingências operantes. O Experimento 1 avaliou se um IPD com mais de 200 tentativas produziria escolhas cooperativas simultâneas de modo fidedigno e se a interação verbal entre participantes aumentaria a cooperação. 4 quartetos de universitários utilizaram 4 computadores conectados em rede (sem contato visual) e foram expostos a condições com ou sem permissão para usar uma sala de bate-papo pelo computador (chat) em um delineamento de linhas de base múltiplas entre quartetos. Os resultados demonstraram claramente que escolhas cooperativas unânimes podem ocorrer fidedignamente em um IPD e que a interação verbal entre participantes aumenta rapidamente tais escolhas. Esses resultados destacam a semelhança entre estudos sobre IPD e sobre metacontingências, nos quais são programadas consequências para comportamentos inter-relacionados de vários indivíduos. No Experimento 2, uma consequência cultural foi sobreposta às consequências já programadas pelo IPD: os quartetos podiam produzir pontos iguais para todos os participantes (feedback do mercado) contingentes a diferentes números de escolhas cooperativas. Como no Experimento 1, condições nas quais o uso do chat eram ou não permitidos foram arranjadas em um delineamento de linhas de base múltiplas entre quartetos. A interação verbal promoveu rápida e marcadamente a seleção cultural pelo feedback do mercado. Um quarteto apresentou algum controle dos culturantes pelo feedback do mercado antes das interações verbais, mas após o uso do chat a produção das consequências culturais aumentou substancialmente. O Experimento 3 replicou o Experimento 2 apresentando o feedback do mercado da mesma forma que os pontos do IPD, i.e., sem diversos estímulos verbais que sugerem a sua produção pelo quarteto como um todo. A interação verbal promoveu ao menos algum controle das escolhas pelo feedback do mercado em 2 dos 3 quartetos, sugerindo que a forma de apresentação da consequência cultural é irrelevante para os efeitos de uma consequência cultural. Os resultados dos 3 experimentos destacam a importância da interação verbal para a seleção cultural. Além disso, sugerem que um IPD programa uma situação análoga à programada em estudos sobre metacontingência, esclarecendo as diferenças entre os procedimentos empregados no estudo do IPD e de metacontingências e permitindo que avanços em uma área possam ser aproveitados pela outra / In a metacontingency, responses of two or more interacting individuals (a culturant) produce stimuli (called cultural consequences) that affect the recurrence of those responses. Results of metacontingency experiments are said to demonstrate a kind of cultural selection. Besides suggesting the importance of verbal interactions between participants, some of these experiments have used tasks based on the iterated prisoner\'s dilemma (IPD) interpreting it, however, as programming only operant contingencies. Experiment 1 examined whether an IPD with 200-plus trials would produce simultaneous cooperative choices reliably and whether verbal interaction between participants would increase cooperation. 4 quartets of undergraduate and graduate students used 4 networked computers (without visual contact), and were exposed to conditions with or without permission to use the computer chat room in a multiple baseline design between quartets. Results clearly demonstrate that unanimous cooperative choices can occur reliably in an IPD, and that verbal interaction between participants rapidly increases such choices. These results highlight the similarity between IPD and metacontingencies studies, both of which program consequences for inter-related behaviors of many individuals. In Experiment 2, a cultural consequence was superimposed on the consequences already programmed by the IPD: quartets could produce equal points for all participants (market feedback) contingent on different numbers of cooperative choices. As in Experiment 1, we arranged conditions in which chat use were or not allowed in a multiple baseline design between quartets. Verbal interaction quickly and markedly promoted cultural selection by the market feedback. One quartet presented some control of culturants by the market feedback before verbal interactions, but production of cultural consequences increased substantially after using the chat. Experiment 3 replicated Experiment 2 presenting the market feedback the same way that the IPD points, i.e., without several verbal stimuli that suggest its production by the quartet as a whole. Verbal interaction promoted at least some control of the choices by the market feedback in 2 of the 3 quartets, suggesting that the form of cultural consequence presentation is irrelevant for the effects of a cultural consequence. The results of the three experiments highlight the importance of verbal interaction for cultural selection. Furthermore, they suggest that an IPD program a situation analogous to the one employed in metacontingency studies, clarifying differences between procedures used in the study of IPD and of metacontingencies, and allowing advances in one area be employed by another

Em uma metacontingência, respostas de dois ou mais indivíduos interagindo (denominadas um culturante) produzem estímulos (denominados de consequências culturais) capazes de afetar a recorrências daquelas respostas. Resultados de experimentos sobre metacontingência têm sido tratados como demonstrações de um tipo de seleção cultural. Além de sugerir a importância de interações verbais entre participantes, alguns desses experimentos têm empregado tarefas baseadas no dilema do prisioneiro repetido (iterated prisoners dilemma, IPD) interpretando-o, porém, como a programação apenas de contingências operantes. O Experimento 1 avaliou se um IPD com mais de 200 tentativas produziria escolhas cooperativas simultâneas de modo fidedigno e se a interação verbal entre participantes aumentaria a cooperação. 4 quartetos de universitários utilizaram 4 computadores conectados em rede (sem contato visual) e foram expostos a condições com ou sem permissão para usar uma sala de bate-papo pelo computador (chat) em um delineamento de linhas de base múltiplas entre quartetos. Os resultados demonstraram claramente que escolhas cooperativas unânimes podem ocorrer fidedignamente em um IPD e que a interação verbal entre participantes aumenta rapidamente tais escolhas. Esses resultados destacam a semelhança entre estudos sobre IPD e sobre metacontingências, nos quais são programadas consequências para comportamentos inter-relacionados de vários indivíduos. No Experimento 2, uma consequência cultural foi sobreposta às consequências já programadas pelo IPD: os quartetos podiam produzir pontos iguais para todos os participantes (feedback do mercado) contingentes a diferentes números de escolhas cooperativas. Como no Experimento 1, condições nas quais o uso do chat eram ou não permitidos foram arranjadas em um delineamento de linhas de base múltiplas entre quartetos. A interação verbal promoveu rápida e marcadamente a seleção cultural pelo feedback do mercado. Um quarteto apresentou algum controle dos culturantes pelo feedback do mercado antes das interações verbais, mas após o uso do chat a produção das consequências culturais aumentou substancialmente. O Experimento 3 replicou o Experimento 2 apresentando o feedback do mercado da mesma forma que os pontos do IPD, i.e., sem diversos estímulos verbais que sugerem a sua produção pelo quarteto como um todo. A interação verbal promoveu ao menos algum controle das escolhas pelo feedback do mercado em 2 dos 3 quartetos, sugerindo que a forma de apresentação da consequência cultural é irrelevante para os efeitos de uma consequência cultural. Os resultados dos 3 experimentos destacam a importância da interação verbal para a seleção cultural. Além disso, sugerem que um IPD programa uma situação análoga à programada em estudos sobre metacontingência, esclarecendo as diferenças entre os procedimentos empregados no estudo do IPD e de metacontingências e permitindo que avanços em uma área possam ser aproveitados pela outra / In a metacontingency, responses of two or more interacting individuals (a culturant) produce stimuli (called cultural consequences) that affect the recurrence of those responses. Results of metacontingency experiments are said to demonstrate a kind of cultural selection. Besides suggesting the importance of verbal interactions between participants, some of these experiments have used tasks based on the iterated prisoner\'s dilemma (IPD) interpreting it, however, as programming only operant contingencies. Experiment 1 examined whether an IPD with 200-plus trials would produce simultaneous cooperative choices reliably and whether verbal interaction between participants would increase cooperation. 4 quartets of undergraduate and graduate students used 4 networked computers (without visual contact), and were exposed to conditions with or without permission to use the computer chat room in a multiple baseline design between quartets. Results clearly demonstrate that unanimous cooperative choices can occur reliably in an IPD, and that verbal interaction between participants rapidly increases such choices. These results highlight the similarity between IPD and metacontingencies studies, both of which program consequences for inter-related behaviors of many individuals. In Experiment 2, a cultural consequence was superimposed on the consequences already programmed by the IPD: quartets could produce equal points for all participants (market feedback) contingent on different numbers of cooperative choices. As in Experiment 1, we arranged conditions in which chat use were or not allowed in a multiple baseline design between quartets. Verbal interaction quickly and markedly promoted cultural selection by the market feedback. One quartet presented some control of culturants by the market feedback before verbal interactions, but production of cultural consequences increased substantially after using the chat. Experiment 3 replicated Experiment 2 presenting the market feedback the same way that the IPD points, i.e., without several verbal stimuli that suggest its production by the quartet as a whole. Verbal interaction promoted at least some control of the choices by the market feedback in 2 of the 3 quartets, suggesting that the form of cultural consequence presentation is irrelevant for the effects of a cultural consequence. The results of the three experiments highlight the importance of verbal interaction for cultural selection. Furthermore, they suggest that an IPD program a situation analogous to the one employed in metacontingency studies, clarifying differences between procedures used in the study of IPD and of metacontingencies, and allowing advances in one area be employed by another

This thesis is concerned with the analysis of economic network formation. There are three novel sections to this thesis (Chapters 5, 6 and 8). In the first, the non-cooperative communication network formation model of Bala and Goyal (2000) (BG) is re-assessed under conditions of no inertia. It is found that the Strict Nash circle (or wheel) structure is still the equilibrium outcome for n = 3 under no inertia. However, a counter-example for n = 4 shows that with no inertia infinite cycles are possible, and hence the system does not converge. In fact, cycles are found to quickly dominate outcomes for n > 4 and further numerical simulations of conditions approximating no inertia (probability of updating > 0.8 to 1) indicate that cycles account for a dramatic slowing of convergence times. These results, together with the experimental evidence of Falk and Kosfeld (2003) (FK) motivate the second contribution of this thesis. A novel artificial agent model is constructed that allows for a vast strategy space (including the Best Response) and permits agents to learn from each other as was indicated by the FK results. After calibration, this model replicates many of the FK experimental results and finds that an externality exploiting ratio of benefits and costs (rather than the difference) combined with a simple altruism score is a good proxy for the human objective function. Furthermore, the inequity aversion results of FK are found to arise as an emergent property of the system. The third novel section of this thesis turns to the nature of network formation in a trust-based context. A modified Iterated Prisoners' Dilemma (IPD) model is developed which enables agents to play an additional and costly network forming action. Initially, canonical analytical results are obtained despite this modification under uniform (non-local) interactions. However, as agent network decisions are 'turned on' persistent cooperation is observed. Furthermore, in contrast to the vast majority of non-local, or static network models in the literature, it is found that a-periodic, complex dynamics result for the system in the long-run. Subsequent analysis of this regime indicates that the network dynamics have fingerprints of self-organized criticality (SOC). Whilst evidence for SOC is found in many physical systems, such dynamics have been seldom, if ever, reported in the strategic interaction literature.

Green Building Councils (GBCs) have been established in many different countries in recent years. This paper discusses the role such organizations can play in the respective construction and real estate industry and under what circumstances a GBC can contribute positively to the development of a "greener" or "more sustainable" stock of buildings. The paper investigates the main informational problem of the industry by looking at the relation between a developer and an investor from an economic point of view. We argue that the investor's uncertainty about the true quality of a building and the corresponding incentive for the developer to cheat may lock them into a prisoners' dilemma trap. The corresponding barriers for a transition toward a "greener" buildings market are analyzed. GBCs are described as institutions of economic governance that can assist the economy in overcoming these problems. They can act as third party institutions in transactions between developers and investors. By certifying the quality of a building, they can reduce the risk for the investor to be cheated by the developer and also increase the incentive to develop good quality buildings for the developer. This task, however, raises some severe management challenges for the GBCs. (author's abstract) / Series: SRE - Discussion Papers

We use an agent-based model to investigate the interdependent dynamics between individual agency and emergent socioeconomic structure, leading to institutional change in a generic way. Our model simulates the emergence and exit of institutional units, understood as generic governed social structures. We show how endogenized trust and exogenously given leader authority influences institutional change, i.e., diversity in institutional life-cycles. It turns out that these governed institutions (de)structure in cyclical patterns dependent on the overall evolution of trust in the artificial society, while at the same time, influencing this evolution by supporting social learning. Simulation results indicate three scenarios of institutional life-cycles. Institutions may, (1) build up very fast and freeze the artificial society in a stable but fearful pattern (ordered system); (2) exist only for a short time, leading to a very trusty society (highly fluctuating system); and (3) structure in cyclical patterns over time and support social learning due to cumulative causation of societal trust (complex system).

O Dilema do Prisioneiro com n jogadores é um problema que ilustra a dificuldade na formação da cooperação em sociedades de indivíduos racionais. Diversos trabalhos foram feitos no sentido de compreender melhor os fatores que influenciam o surgimento e a evolução da cooperação nessas sociedades, sendo que muitos desses mostraram que a simulação deste tipo de problema carece de escalabilidade, o que impede a realização de experimentos que envolvam uma grande quantidade de agentes ou de parâmetros de teste. Este trabalho tem o intuito de aplicar conceitos de computação paralela para tratar este problema. Para tal, foi desenvolvido um sistema denominado PS2 E2 , evolução de um trabalho anterior, cuja utilização em alguns cenários possibilitou a verificação da influência de alguns parâmetros tais como o tamanho da população e a expressividade do modelo de representação de estratégias na utilidade global de um conjunto de agentes que jogam o Dilema do Prisioneiro com n jogadores. / The n-Player Prisoners Dilemma is a problem that illustrates the difficulty of cooperation formation in societies composed of rational individuals. Several studies were made to better understand the factors that influence the emergence and evolution of cooperation in these societies. Many of these showed that the simulation of this type of problem lacks scalability, which hinders the achievement of experiments involving a large number of agents or test parameters. This work intends to apply parallel computing concepts to treat this problem. To this end, it was developed a system called PS2 E2 , an evolution of a previous work, whose utilization in some scenarios allowed the verification of the influence of some parameters such as the population size and the expressiveness of the strategy representation model in the global utility of a society of agents that play the n-Player Prisoner Dilemma.

In vehicle industry, it has been trends towards focusing on pull-basedsystems and elimination of waste (Lean), which decrease the tied-up capitallevel in the focal factory. Research by Holweg &amp; Miemczyk (2002)showed that the relevant supply chain has low inventory level in the focalfactory, but at upstream and especially downstream; the tied-up capitallevel is dramatically higher in comparison to the focal factory.By conducting research and extensive literature reviews, this volatilityof tied-up capital level has been studied and analysed with regard topush and pull systems. As the three main causes of this unevenness; bullwhipeffect, CODP position in supply chain and intensity level of supplierrelationship have been identified and explained.As a practical solution for decreasing the tied-up capital level of finishedvehicles, implementation of centralised warehouse structure hasbeen suggested and discussed.Moreover, as an application of game theory in logistics, iterated prisoners’dilemma has been discussed as the base for a progressive relationshipwith suppliers (upgrading to win-win game) which is requisite for the successof pull-based supply chains. / Program: BSc in Industrial Engineering - International Business Engineering