MOUNT SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY
Dr. Karl W.
Einolf
Thinking
Strategically
Business 322 /
Economics 322
Spring 2006
MWF 2:00 –
2:50pm
Required Texts
Dixit,
A.K. and Nalebuff, B.J. Thinking Strategically. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1991.
McCain,
R. Game Theory. Mason, Ohio:
South-Western Publishing, 2004.
Administrative
Office: 317 AC
Telephone: (301) 447-5396 x4068
Email: einolf@msmary.edu
Click
link for Office
Hours
Course Objective
The
objective of this course is to provide the student an understanding of
strategically interdependent decisions.
Students will learn how the outcome of one’s actions also depends on the
actions of others. When making a
choice, the student has to think about what others will choose, who in turn are
thinking about what the student may choose, and so on. Game Theory offers several concepts and
insights for understanding such situations, and for making better strategic
choices. This course will enable
students to recognize the games that will be present in their future endeavors. It will enrich their understanding of the world
around them and make them a better participant in its affairs. This course will introduce and develop some
basic ideas from game theory, using illustrations, applications, and cases
drawn from economics, business, politics, international studies, sports,
fiction and movies.
This
course will satisfy the following objectives of the Undergraduate Program:
Students will comprehend and
skillfully employ quantitative reasoning
Students will connect this learning in this course with learning from the core and their major
To view the Goals and Objectives of the Undergraduate Program click here (and scroll down the page)
This course will also satisfy the learning objectives of the Business Major
To view the Learning Objectives of the Business Major click here
Course Requirements and
Grades
Midterm
Exams (2) 40%
Final
Exam 20%
Case
Study Paper and Presentation 20%
Homework/Attendance/Class
Exercise Points 20%
Grading
Scale:
93-100 A 73-77 C
90-93
A- 70-73 C-
87-90
B+ 67-70 D+
83-87
B 63-67 D
80-83
B- 60-63 D-
77-80 C+ 0-59 F
Midterm Exams and Final
Exams
The
midterm exams (Feb. 22 and Apr. 26) and the final exam (May 8) are scheduled at
the start of the semester. THERE WILL BE NO MAKE UP EXAMS! A missed exam is a zero. No exceptions!
Click here to view the University's Policy on Academic
Integrity
To
help students understand how I apply the University's policy on academic
integrity, I provide the following:
Exams
will be completed in a timed class session. The exams will be proctored.
Students are expected to complete their own work without any outside assistance
(no consulting other students, books, notes, cell phones, computers,
etc.).
Case Study
Your learning this semester will culminate in a case
study report and presentation. You will
use the tools from this course to address any problem that you can solve using
the insights of game theory.
Case Study Schedule:
March 13: Partners and topic
are selected.
April 3:
Outline of paper is due
April 21: Rough Drafts of paper are due
May 1, 3, 5:
Case Study presentations -
final paper is due on date when team presents
Homework
You
will be required to complete a number of homework sets throughout the
semester. “Learning-By-Doing” is an
important part of the practice of thinking strategically. It is the consensus of many game theorists
that practice problems are a highly effective educational tool. Some of the problems will be relatively
easy, while others will require considerable thought. The more difficult problems will be well worth your effort because
they will ensure your mastery of game theory.
The effort that you spend on all of the homework problems will also
directly affect your scores on exams.
We will spend time in class discussing some of these problems. However, I encourage you to work with your
fellow classmates and visit my office hours to guarantee that you have mastered
ALL of the problems.
All
problem sets must be turned in to me by their completion date. LATE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS WILL RECEIVE A
SCORE OF ZERO – NO EXCEPTIONS! I will
assign problems at least one week before the assignment is due.
Classroom Exercise Points
You will be participating in a number of classroom activities throughout the semester that will generate “classroom exercise points” for you. You must show up and participate to get the points. The points awarded during each exercise will reflect your thinking strategically skills, your opponents’ skills, and, as real life goes, a little luck. At the end of the semester, we will also crown our Thinking Strategically Champion! Good luck!
Attendance
Attendance in class is mandatory! You will be participating in a number of classroom activities throughout the semester that will generate “attendance points” for you. You must show up and participate to get the points. You will be granted two (2) “no questions asked” excused absences throughout the semester. Beyond these absences, you will lose 5% off your final grade for each unexcused absence. The only acceptable excused absences will come in writing from the Athletic Office (due to a sports related event) or from the Associate Provost (due to an academic event, a funeral, or a severe illness). Students not using their two (2) “no questions asked” excused absences will receive a bump up in the case of a borderline grade.