November 6, 2007 at 11:00 EST - Applications Series

Mergers & Acquisitions
Industries are increasingly consolidating through mergers and acquisitions. Particularly hot sectors today include banking/finance, resources and telecom/media. But, historically, most mergers have failed to meet the goals envisioned. This can be because acquirers have overpaid, synergies were not realized, or management issues could not be resolved for example.

Game theory can help to ensure that goals in a merger, acquisition or divestiture are realized. This Webinar will review the Open Options process of applying game theory to complex business problems. It will describe how game theory can help M&A issues generally. It will then illustrate the process through a real-life case called "Snatched from the Wolf's Jaws".

Participants in this Webinar will gain an increased understanding of the Open Options process, the pitfalls of a potential merger or acquisition, and insight into how game theory can make a merger or acquisition more successful.

• Register online for this free Webinar

December 5, 2007 at 11:00 EST - Applications Series

Entering a New Market / Outsourcing
Many companies have considered moving production offshore as labor costs have risen. Developing countries such as India and China are attractive sites for offshore production because labor costs are low and also because there is a large potential domestic market. However, making large investments in developing countries adds enormous risk because of increased political, social and economic uncertainty.

Game theory can help to ensure that offshore investments are successful. This Webinar will review the Open Options process of applying game theory to complex business problems. It will describe how game theory can help to correlate diverse sources of information and model complicated political and social influences. The ideas are illustrated through a real-life case called "Crouching Dragon, Hidden Opportunity".

Participants in this Webinar will gain an increased understanding of the Open Options process, the dangers and opportunities of a potential offshore investment, and insight into how game theory can make an offshore investment more successful.

• Register online for this free Webinar

January 10, 2007 at 11:00 EST - Game Theory Fundamentals

2 x 2 Ordinal Games
Game theory has been an active area of study by mathematicians, economists and political scientists for over 60 years. It is a field that is notably inaccessible for people without a strong background in mathematics. However, the branch of game theory that forms the basis of the Open Options process, ordinal, non-cooperative game theory, can be illustrated effectively using a simple idea, the 2x2 game.

In this Webinar, the history of game theory will be reviewed, and the principles of ordinal, non-cooperative games defined. 2x2 games will also be introduced. Two well-known 2x2 games, known as Prisoner's Dilemma and Chicken, will be described. The basics of game theory analysis, including concepts such as the Nash equilibrium, will be covered.

Participants in this Webinar will increase their understanding of the field of game theory, and will learn some fundamental ideas about 2x2 games. They will also gain insight into the theory underlying the Open Options process, and how it can be applied to business applications.

• Register online for this free Webinar