Snipers, Shills, and Sharks: eBay and Human Behavior
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Good read
  • Enthralling. It gets better as it goes on.
  • Engaging, informative, and entertaining!
  • Not terribly substantive, and not even that fun to read
Snipers, Shills, and Sharks: eBay and Human Behavior
Ken Steiglitz
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
TheoryTheory | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
RetailingRetailing | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | E-commerce | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Consumer BehaviorConsumer Behavior | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Psychology & CounselingPsychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books | Adolescent Psychology | Applied Psychology | By Topic | Child Psychology | Clinical Psychology | Cognitive | Counseling | Creativity & Genius | Developmental Psychology | Education & Training | Ethnopsychology | Experimental Psychology | Forensic Psychology | General | History | Hypnosis | Industrial Psychology | Logotherapy | Medicine & Psychology | Mental Illness | Movements | Neuropsychology | Occupational & Organizational | Pathologies | Personality | Philosophy of Psychology | Physical Illness & Psychiatry | Physiological Aspects | Psychiatry | Psychoanalysis | Psychobiology | Psychopharmacology | Psychosomatic Medicine | Psychotherapy, TA & NLP | Reference | Research | Sexuality | Social Psychology & Interactions | Statistics | Suicide | Testing & Measurement
eBayeBay | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Business BooksLook Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Computer BooksLook Inside Computer Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Health BooksLook Inside Health Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Nonfiction BooksLook Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
  2. Playing for Real: A Text on Game Theory Playing for Real: A Text on Game Theory
  3. Chases and Escapes: The Mathematics of Pursuit and Evasion Chases and Escapes: The Mathematics of Pursuit and Evasion
  4. The Economic Naturalist: In Search of Explanations for Everyday Enigmas The Economic Naturalist: In Search of Explanations for Everyday Enigmas
  5. Capital Ideas Evolving Capital Ideas Evolving

ASIN: 0691127131

Book Description

Every day on eBay, millions of people buy and sell a vast array of goods, from rare collectibles and antiques to used cars and celebrity memorabilia. The internet auction site is remarkably easy to use, which accounts in part for its huge popularity. But how does eBay really work, and how does it compare to other kinds of auctions? These are questions that led Ken Steiglitz--computer scientist, collector of ancient coins, and a regular eBay user--to examine the site through the revealing lens of auction theory.

The result is this book, in which Steiglitz shows us how human behaviors in open markets like eBay can be substantially more complex than those predicted by standard economic theory. In these pages we meet the sniper who outbids you in an auction's closing seconds, the early bidder who treats eBay as if it were an old-fashioned outcry auction, the shill who bids in league with the seller to artificially inflate the price--and other characters as well. Steiglitz guides readers through the fascinating history of auctions, how they functioned in the past and how they work today in online venues like eBay. Drawing on cutting-edge economics as well as his own stories from eBay, he reveals practical auction strategies and introduces readers to the fundamentals of auction theory and the mathematics behind eBay.

Complete with exercises and a detailed appendix, this book is a must for sophisticated users of online auctions, and essential reading for students seeking an accessible introduction to the study of auction theory.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Good read.......2007-08-27

This is a good book and I thought it was entertaining. Some may find it a bit dry because it is written more like a text book but it does have some interesting information, some interesting stories, and it has a lot of math in the back. We all love math right? The math is just for reference and is in the appenedix, it was a good book I thought. However, it was not so much about trading safely on ebay, it was more about how real life auction rings fix prices, some statistical analysis of online auctions etc.

This is a good book but if you are looking for something that explains ebay fraud and how to avoid it, look for Scams and Scoundrels, it describes more of what I thought this book would be about. While this is good, it does not have the information on identifying fraud auctions, fraud sellers, or how to protect yourself from ebay scams like Scams and Scoundrels does. Get them both, they are both good, just different takes on ebay criminals.

5 out of 5 stars Enthralling. It gets better as it goes on........2007-07-08

I've never liked auctions, but that has not reduced the interest of this book in any way. It gives clear and engaging explanations of how different auctions work, both in theory and in practice. Special attention is given to eBay of course, and why it works the way it does.

The main text discusses strategies and the effects of different auction rules without resorting to any math, allowing the reader to gain an excellent grasp of the issues without concentrating on technical details. But the underlying theory is not shortchanged in any way by this, since the math is contained in substantial appendices, where it is laid out with complete, easy-to-understand explanations.

I highly reccommend this book both as an introduction to eBay, and to auction theory. For me, it's both.

5 out of 5 stars Engaging, informative, and entertaining!.......2007-07-03

Snipers, Shills, and Sharks is an instant classic that will appeal to anyone interested in understanding why ebay works the way it does and how it relates to a beautiful economic theory developed over the past few decades. How do English, Dutch, and Vickrey auctions work? Why do experienced ebayers snipe? When should a seller set a secret reserve? Why is ebay a second-price instead of first-price auction? Why does ebay post the second highest bid and not the highest one? These answers and much more are crisply explained and supported by real-world and laboratory experiments. I opened the book knowing next to nothing about auctions and ebay (other than as a participants), and now I feel that I understand a great deal.

Steiglitz begins in Chapter 1 with classic auctions, including English and Vickery. He explains the theory underlying each auction, including the seminal result that bidders should be truthful in a second-price auction such as Vickery or English (with a few caveats). Chapter 2 motivates ebay as a natural evolution of the English auction where bidders participate over time, with a fixed deadline. Chapter 3 analyzes real bidding histories on ebay and other experimental results. He explains when practice agrees with the theory, but also when it doesn't on account of human behavior. It also explains the benefits of sniping. Chapter 4 explains why ebay is not a first-price auction; Chapter 5 discusses strategies for the seller, including how to set the opening bid and secret reserve; Chapter 6 discusses strategies for the bidder, including how much to bid and when. Chapter 7 describes various ways that participants cheat and the theory underlying it.

The theory is inherently mathematical, but Steiglitz does a masterful job of replacing the math with easy-to-understand intuition in the main text and deferring the technical details to the appendices. That being said, the appendices are definitely a worthwhile read if you remember single variable calculus. The theory is extremely elegant. Appendix A treats the class Vickrey results; Appendices B and C cover various extensions. Appendix D describes a number of experimental results. Numerous references are provided for further study.

One of the most charming features of the book is the author's conversational tone and his personal anecdotes, both as an avid coin collector and as a professor who performs classroom experiments. For example, Steiglitz illustrates the "winner's curse" via a classroom experiment where he auctions off a jar of nickels to the highest bidder.

2 out of 5 stars Not terribly substantive, and not even that fun to read.......2007-05-01

I picked this book up with great anticipation after hearing about it from Marginal Revolution. As an avid ebay user for the past 5 years and an economics major back in college, I was hoping that I'd find some insightful nuggets on the inner workings of auction economics and psychology.

What I found instead was a somewhat tired text that did not have a whole lot to offer. The introductory chapters on various auction types were the best and mildly entertaining, but it went slowly downhill from there. It read more like a textbook than a book you'd want to read for pleasure. There is no math in the main text, by design. The author has chosen this to keep it readable to everyone, and keeps the formulas in the appendix. That's fine by me, and I wouldn't take off stars for that. The thing that boggs this book down is that there isn't much substance. He cites a few small studies here and there that aren't very conclusive and don't give me much insight on what works and doesn't work on ebay.
Theory of Games and Economic Behavior (Commemorative Edition) (Princeton Classic Editions)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • An Obvious Classic But . . .
  • Landmark work but heavy going
Theory of Games and Economic Behavior (Commemorative Edition) (Princeton Classic Editions)
John von Neumann , and Oskar Morgenstern
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
TheoryTheory | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Game TheoryGame Theory | Applied | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books
Game TheoryGame Theory | Applied | Mathematics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Business BooksLook Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Nonfiction BooksLook Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Science BooksLook Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Classics in Game Theory Classics in Game Theory
  2. Prisoner's Dilemma Prisoner's Dilemma
  3. Game Theory: A Nontechnical Introduction Game Theory: A Nontechnical Introduction
  4. Games and Decisions: Introduction and Critical Survey Games and Decisions: Introduction and Critical Survey
  5. The Compleat Strategyst: Being a Primer on the Theory of Games of Strategy The Compleat Strategyst: Being a Primer on the Theory of Games of Strategy

ASIN: 0691130612

Book Description

This is the classic work upon which modern-day game theory is based. What began more than sixty years ago as a modest proposal that a mathematician and an economist write a short paper together blossomed, in 1944, when Princeton University Press published Theory of Games and Economic Behavior. In it, John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern conceived a groundbreaking mathematical theory of economic and social organization, based on a theory of games of strategy. Not only would this revolutionize economics, but the entirely new field of scientific inquiry it yielded--game theory--has since been widely used to analyze a host of real-world phenomena from arms races to optimal policy choices of presidential candidates, from vaccination policy to major league baseball salary negotiations. And it is today established throughout both the social sciences and a wide range of other sciences.

This sixtieth anniversary edition includes not only the original text but also an introduction by Harold Kuhn, an afterword by Ariel Rubinstein, and reviews and articles on the book that appeared at the time of its original publication in the New York Times, tthe American Economic Review, and a variety of other publications. Together, these writings provide readers a matchless opportunity to more fully appreciate a work whose influence will yet resound for generations to come.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars An Obvious Classic But . . ........2002-10-23

Let me start out by acknowledging that this is THE BOOK that started Game Theory as it exists today. While Bayesian statistics are an obvious precursor, everyone agrees that von Neumann's and Morgenstern's work was ground breaking.

That said, this is not the best written Game Theory text out there. Like all seminal works, it suffers from the basic fact that we've learned a lot of new things since the time it was written. Many people have gone on to build and expand on the insights contained in this book, especially in the area of bargaining and cooperative game theory.

This is a very impressive book to keep on your shelf, and the discussion of poker and the role of bluffing is very interesting, but, owing largely to the 60+ years that have passed since its initial publication, it's not the best reference work or study material available.

Another word of warning: The review below is correct that the level of math that you must understand to fully appreciate this book is quite substantial. This book is more for the mathematically sophisticated who want to develop an appreciation for the origins of game theory.

5 out of 5 stars Landmark work but heavy going.......2000-08-23

I'm not even sure I'm qualified to pass judgement on this book, but what I understand, I give 5 stars without hesitation. The authors discuss almost every class of game (2-person, 3-person, zero-sum, non-zero-sum, etc.) and even a very simplified version of poker.

You basically have to be a mathematician to get full value from this book. This book is absolutely full of equations and complex proofs. For a beginner with little math, I'd recommend Game Theory by Morton Davis, or for someone with some university math I'd recommend Games and Decisions by Luce and Raiffa. However, if your math is good, you might as well go straight to this book, which started the whole field of game theory.
The Unwritten Rules of the Game: Master Them, Shatter Them, and Break Through the Barriers to Organizational Change
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOANALYSIS
  • Usefull theory, fairly slow explanation
The Unwritten Rules of the Game: Master Them, Shatter Them, and Break Through the Barriers to Organizational Change
Peter Scott-Morgan
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Companies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Organizational ChangeOrganizational Change | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
LeadershipLeadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
EntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. The Accelerating Organization: Embracing the Human Face of Change The Accelerating Organization: Embracing the Human Face of Change
  2. The End of Change: How Your Company Can Sustain Growth and Innovation While Avoiding Change Fatigue The End of Change: How Your Company Can Sustain Growth and Innovation While Avoiding Change Fatigue
  3. The Innovation Premium: How Next Generation Companies Are Achieving Peak Performance and Profitability The Innovation Premium: How Next Generation Companies Are Achieving Peak Performance and Profitability
  4. Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense: Profiting From Evidence-Based Management Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense: Profiting From Evidence-Based Management
  5. Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant

ASIN: 0070570752

Book Description

It's been featured in the nation's business press as the next wave in management. It's being discussed, debated, and acclaimed in conferences and executive suites around the world. It's The Unwritten Rules of the Game, and here is the pathbreaking book that introduces this unique new approach to mastering corporate change. What drives day-to-day behavior in an organization? As Arthur D. Little consultant Peter Scott-Morgan has discovered, the silent engines are not official policies but unwritten rules. Deciphering those rules is the essential step in managing change-the number 1 item on just about every corporate agenda these days-because the process unfailingly reveals why people are simply unwilling to alter their behavior.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOANALYSIS.......2001-11-10

The rules discussed in this work are the informal mores and values that contribute to organizational culture and which can interefere with policy implementation from above. The concept is original, as is the framework of Strategy, Process, Resources and Organization in the context of which the analysis (and presumably management consulting) is performed. Beyond these two ideas the book suffers from a variety of flaws.
The language is stilted and regimented into an outline, which prevents a free flowing narrative that would be more appropriate to a case study method. Very little underlying theory is given for the concepts, but more importantly, for the methodology of identifying informal culture in an organization. The author presents many examples, but very little reason as to why and what he is doing.
His section on conducting an interview is almost a textbook example of the non-directed interview technique from psychology, and rather than concentrating on which questions to ask and what to look for, he instead gives us the amount of hours details of the brainstorming ritual that his consulting company performs.
The language of the book is unprofessional and it steers away from scientific terminology; the book is written in short soundbites and that contributes to the pop management feel of the whole work. The examples of the informal mores are generic and appear similar across his cases - job hop, keep your boss happy, protect your own turf, and yet the author fails to give any observations on this being the weakeness of the corporate exec culture as a whole. He mentions Machiavelianism, but at the same time fails to address corporate politics with any degree of satisfaction. I am not sure if this is a poorly written memoir of the man's professional career or if this is a marketing ploy for his consultancy.

4 out of 5 stars Usefull theory, fairly slow explanation.......1997-09-08

I very much liked the book, mostly because it lead me into a "new world", the world of the unwritten rules (and our behaviour based on them).
I think the theory helps me get insight in every day life and the management of change. I do think I will be a more effective change manager when using the "unwritten rules approach".
I now try to use it in my projects.
Markets, Games, & Strategic Behavior
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Markets, Games, & Strategic Behavior
    Charles A. Holt
    Manufacturer: Addison Wesley
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    GeneralGeneral | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    InvestingInvesting | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books | Bonds | Commodities | Futures | General | Introduction | Mutual Funds | Options | Real Estate | Stocks
    Consumer BehaviorConsumer Behavior | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Marketing | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    Look Inside Business BooksLook Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
    All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
    Business & InvestingBusiness & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
    Similar Items:
    1. Experimental Methods: A Primer for Economists Experimental Methods: A Primer for Economists
    2. Experimental Economics Experimental Economics
    3. Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction (The Roundtable Series in Behavioral Economics) Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction (The Roundtable Series in Behavioral Economics)
    4. Incentives: Motivation and the Economics of Information Incentives: Motivation and the Economics of Information
    5. The Handbook of Experimental Economics The Handbook of Experimental Economics

    ASIN: 0321419316

    Book Description

    Students become fluent in economics when they can apply the concepts in a real, decision-making and strategic environment. For this reason, an increasing number of professors are incorporating experiments into their undergraduate courses.

    In his new text, Charles Holt begins each chapter with a lead-off experiment designed as an organizing device to introduce economic concepts such as the Winner's Curse, Asset Market Bubbles, and Rent Seeking. These experiments are easy to facilitate in the classroom, and may be run “by hand” or online via an internet browser.

    Games Creditors Play: Collecting from Overextended Consumers
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Hi
    Games Creditors Play: Collecting from Overextended Consumers
    Winton E. Williams
    Manufacturer: Carolina Academic Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    Management & LeadershipManagement & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books | Business Ethics | Consolidation & Merger | Decision-Making & Problem Solving | Distribution & Warehouse Management | Industrial | Information Management | Leadership | Management | Management Science | Motivational | Negotiating | Operations Research | Planning & Forecasting | Pricing | Production & Operations | Project Management | Quality Control | Risk Assessment | Statistics | Strategy & Competition | Systems & Planning | Systems Analysis | Teams | Total Quality Management | Training
    Consumer BehaviorConsumer Behavior | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Marketing | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    Credit Ratings & RepairCredit Ratings & Repair | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    Business LawBusiness Law | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    Consumer LawConsumer Law | Business | Law | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Business | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
    Look Inside Business BooksLook Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
    ASIN: 0890899916

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Hi.......2002-03-14

    This accurately describes the 'behind the scenes' nonsense that is going on when creditors bug you. The bottom line in most cases is - all talk, no action. I cant even take those creditor clowns seriously after reading the book.

    The book itself is great. Unfortunately its written in the "college analysis" style which makes for difficult reading. Keep a dictionary close by. It goes into all the probability formulas and whatnot. However there is good info for the layman in here. I doubt there is any other book out there with as much info on creditor collections. The title says it all.
    Theory of Games and Economic Behavior
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Theory of Games and Economic Behavior

      Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: B000I7509Q
      Leadership Games: Experiential Learning for Organizational Development
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Leadership Games: Experiential Learning for Organizational Development
        Stephen S. Kaagan
        Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        GeneralGeneral | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
        Organizational LearningOrganizational Learning | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
        Human Resources & Personnel ManagementHuman Resources & Personnel Management | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
        LeadershipLeadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
        ManagementManagement | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
        Organizational BehaviorOrganizational Behavior | Business Management | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
        All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
        Similar Items:
        1. The Leadership Training Activity Book: 50 Exercises for Building Effective Leaders The Leadership Training Activity Book: 50 Exercises for Building Effective Leaders
        2. The Big Book of Leadership Games: Quick, Fun Activities to Improve Communication, Increase Productivity, and Bring Out the Best in Employees The Big Book of Leadership Games: Quick, Fun Activities to Improve Communication, Increase Productivity, and Bring Out the Best in Employees
        3. The Conflict and Communication Activity Book: 30 High-Impact Training Exercises for Adult Learners The Conflict and Communication Activity Book: 30 High-Impact Training Exercises for Adult Learners
        4. On Becoming A Leader: The Leadership Classic--Updated And Expanded On Becoming A Leader: The Leadership Classic--Updated And Expanded
        5. Workshops: Designing and Facilitating Experiential Learning Workshops: Designing and Facilitating Experiential Learning

        ASIN: 0761917217

        Book Description

        Leadership Games presents 25 practical, inexpensive experiential activities designed to be used in various leadership training and development programs. This book centers on those areas of primary concern to today's managers-team leadership, risking innovation, fostering collaboration, managing conflict, and using diversity. The exercises are grounded in the management and educational literature, and for each exercise there is a set of explicit directions, cues on strategic considerations, including appropriate timing, indicators of successful application, and a rich sample of proposed questions that point the way to fruitful post-exercise discussions with participants. Author Stephen S. Kaagan has extensive experience both in the academic and consulting worlds, including being a past president of the Outward Bound program in Rockland, Maine. Leadership Games is unique in that it: + Explores both leadership development theory and offers practical suggestions + Provides much more than bare bones instructions on how to facilitate experiential exercises + Shows the link between the exercises and critical organizational challenges This book will be an invaluable tool for professionals and students interested in leadership, organizational studies, management, human resources, communication, gender studies, sociology, psychology, and education.
        Networks and Groups
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Networks and Groups

          Manufacturer: Springer
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          GeneralGeneral | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
          TheoryTheory | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
          Operations ResearchOperations Research | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
          Social TheorySocial Theory | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
          Organizational BehaviorOrganizational Behavior | Business Management | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          All Amazon UpgradeAll Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
          Business & InvestingBusiness & Investing | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
          NonfictionNonfiction | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
          Professional & TechnicalProfessional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
          ScienceScience | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
          All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
          Similar Items:
          1. Group Formation in Economics: Networks, Clubs, and Coalitions Group Formation in Economics: Networks, Clubs, and Coalitions
          2. Repeated Games and Reputations: Long-Run Relationships Repeated Games and Reputations: Long-Run Relationships
          3. Does Game Theory Work? The Bargaining Challenge (Economic Learning and Social Evolution) Does Game Theory Work? The Bargaining Challenge (Economic Learning and Social Evolution)

          ASIN: 3540431136

          Book Description

          The organization of individuals into networks and groups is of fundamental importance in many social and economic interactions. Examples range from networks of personal contacts used to obtain information about job opportunities to the formation of trading partnerships, alliances, cartels, and federations. Much of our understanding of how and why such networks and groups form, and the precise way in which the network or groups structure affects outcomes of social and economic interaction, is relatively new. This volume collects some of the central papers in this recent literature, which have made important progress on this topic.
          Emergence: From Chaos to Order (Helix Books)
          Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
          • Another great book by Holland
          • First steps towards a future theory of emergence
          • an undispensable completion of "hidden order"
          • Toss Up
          • Science Fiction
          Emergence: From Chaos to Order (Helix Books)
          John H. Holland
          Manufacturer: Perseus Books
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          InternationalInternational | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Artificial Intelligence | Computer Science | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
          Computer MathematicsComputer Mathematics | Artificial Intelligence | Computer Science | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
          Chaos & SystemsChaos & Systems | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
          System TheorySystem Theory | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
          Game TheoryGame Theory | Applied | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books
          Game TheoryGame Theory | Applied | Mathematics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          Chaos & SystemsChaos & Systems | Mathematics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          System TheorySystem Theory | Physics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          Similar Items:
          1. Hidden Order: How Adaptation Builds Complexity (Helix Books) Hidden Order: How Adaptation Builds Complexity (Helix Books)
          2. At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity
          3. Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Order and Chaos
          4. Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software
          5. Sync: The Emerging Science of Spontaneous Order Sync: The Emerging Science of Spontaneous Order

          ASIN: 0201149435

          Amazon.com

          "Emergence" is the notion that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. John Holland, a MacArthur Fellow known as the "father of genetic algorithms," says this seemingly simple notion will be at the heart of the development of machines that can think for themselves. And while he claims that he'd rather do science than write about it, this is his second scientific philosophy book intended to increase public understanding of difficult concepts (his first was Hidden Order: How Adaptation Builds Complexity). One of the questions that Holland says emergence theory can help answer is: can we build systems from which more comes out than was put in? Think of the food replicators in the imaginary future of Star Trek--with some basic chemical building blocks and simple rules, those machines can produce everything from Klingon delicacies to Earl Grey tea. If scientists can understand and apply the knowledge they gather from studying emergent systems, we may soon witness the development of artificial intelligence, nanotech, biological machines, and other creations heretofore confined to science fiction. Using games, molecules, maps, and scientific theories as examples, Holland outlines how emergence works, emphasizing the interrelationships of simple rules and parts in generating a complex whole. Because of the theoretical depth, this book probably won't appeal to the casual reader of popular science, but those interested in delving a little deeper into the future of science and engineering will be fascinated. Holland's writing, while sometimes self-consciously precise, is clear, and he links his theoretical arguments to examples in the real world whenever possible. Emergence offers insight not just to scientific advancement, but across many areas of human endeavor--business, the arts, even the evolution of society and the generation of new ideas. --Therese Littleton

          Book Description

          In this important book, John H. Holland dramatically shows us that the "emergence" of order from chaos has much to teach us about life, mind, and organizations. Creative activities in both the arts and the sciences depend upon an ability to model the world. The most creative of those models exhibits emergent properties, so that "what comes out is more than what goes in." From the ingenious checkers-playing computer that started beating its creator in game after game, to the emotive creations of the poet, Emergence shows that Holland's theory successfully predicts many complex behaviors in art and science.

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Another great book by Holland.......2007-04-11

          Expands on Holland's previous book Hidden Order. It presents an interesting method for understanding complexity and emergence. Highly recommended for those attempting to understand complex adaptive systems.

          4 out of 5 stars First steps towards a future theory of emergence.......2006-06-22

          I just read Emergence in preperation for my oral qualifying exams for a Ph.D. in computer science and cognitive science. I disagree with many of the negative reviewers -- this book is well-worth the read. I share some frustration over this book due to the way it seems to scratch the surface. The book's strength seems to be in asking the right questions and pointing the way towards some future science of emergent behavior.

          The book is too short for my taste -- in many of the later chapters Holland makes thought-provoking, deep remarks, without the follow-up and commentary that they leave me hoping for. But again, his main purpose seems to be in making people think about the issues. And he provides some formalisms that might be part of some future theory -- his constrained generating procedures (CGPs) and the variable "CGP-v" recall constructs such as the Turing machine for studying computability.

          The strengths of the book lie in:

          1) Discussion of the nature of modeling in science, and computer modeling in particular. This is discussed with clarity and pragmatism.

          2) The beginnings of a framework in which to study emergence in multi-agent systems.

          3) Discussion of the importance of metaphor/analogy in the creative scientific process. I didn't expect this to appear in the book but it was very welcome, and especially appropriate due to the role played by Mitchell's and Hofstadter's "Copycat" model (of analog-making itself) as it motivates the expansion of CGPs to CGP-v's as the book progresses.

          Overall, I recommend this book highly to readers interested in the beginnings of this exciting new science, that really is in its infancy. I gave it 4 stars just because I felt like Holland had a lot more to say in the later chapters and left too much "as an exercise for the reader." I hope he does follow-on work that clarifies his vision for a future science of emergence!

          4 out of 5 stars an undispensable completion of "hidden order".......2005-09-16

          After 7 years from its publication it still gives a valid and fundamental approach to the concepts of emergence and its meaning

          2 out of 5 stars Toss Up.......2001-11-10

          Parts of this book were interesting, but overall it was much ado about not much, and what was done was often overdone (I agree with another reviewer on this point). I see that Amazon has coupled this book with Hidden Order. I can't see why. It would be like buying the same book twice. Anyway, so much of this has been warmed over so many times now that it's frankly a bit dry. I'd like to see a book that really breaks new ground in complexity without overusing buzz words or talking down to me, holding my hand through simple things. Here, the topic is more attractive than the content I'm afraid. Anyone really interested in complexity and emergence will need to go into technical details well beyond this book. Others, like me, will likely find the details that are here to be a bit tedious.

          1 out of 5 stars Science Fiction.......2001-04-04

          The review says "Think of the food replicators in the imaginary future of Star Trek--with some basic chemical building blocks and simple rules, those machines can produce everything from Klingon delicacies to Earl Grey tea. If scientists can understand and apply the knowledge they gather from studying emergent systems, we may soon witness the development of artificial intelligence, nanotech, biological machines, and other creations heretofore confined to science fiction." -- What?? Like we are about to make food replicators because of the "deep understanding" that we now have of emergent systems??

          I agree with the other reviewer who says the book is characteristically weak. The cover is prettier than Hidden Order. But so what.

          There have to be better books on complexity than this for the average popular science reader.
          Advances in Behavioral Economics: Essays in Honor of Horst Todt (Contributions to Economics)
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Advances in Behavioral Economics: Essays in Honor of Horst Todt (Contributions to Economics)

            Manufacturer: Physica-Verlag Heidelberg
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

            GeneralGeneral | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
            TheoryTheory | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
            GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
            Game TheoryGame Theory | Applied | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books
            GeneralGeneral | Medicine | Subjects | Books
            Game TheoryGame Theory | Applied | Mathematics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
            All Amazon UpgradeAll Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
            Business & InvestingBusiness & Investing | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
            MedicineMedicine | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
            Professional & TechnicalProfessional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
            ScienceScience | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
            All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            Business & InvestingBusiness & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            MedicineMedicine | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            ProfessionalProfessional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            ScienceScience | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            ASIN: 3790813583

            Book Description

            The connection of economic theory and behavior is one of the central topics of this book - and also a central issue in economic thinking of Horst Todt to whom this book is dedicated. The contributions deal with topics of normative and descriptive decision-making: They investigate, for instance, the emergence of decisions or the role of imitation as a competitive principle. A number of contributions treat special decision-making problems on a micro or on a macro level, whereas others concentrate on the principal questions of decision-making or on the conceptualization of important but fuzzy notions like power or solidarity.

            Books:

            1. Solving Tough Problems: An Open Way of Talking, Listening, and Creating New Realities
            2. Statistics
            3. Stochastic Calculus for Finance II: Continuous-Time Models (Springer Finance)
            4. Structure and Change in Economic History
            5. Successful Manager's Handbook: Develop Yourself, Coach Others
            6. Telling Ain't Training
            7. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
            8. The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger
            9. The Culture of the New Capitalism
            10. The Economic Institutions of Capitalism

            Books Index

            Books Home

            Recommended Books

            1. First Responder Handbook: Fire Service Edition
            2. At Home in Mitford/A Light in the Window/These High, Green Hills/Out to Canaan/A New Song/A Common L
            3. The Idea of Global Civil Society: Ethics and Politics in a Globalizing Era
            4. The Evolution of Economic Thought
            5. This Land: The Battle over Sprawl and the Future of America
            6. Active Portfolio Management: A Quantitative Approach for Producing Superior Returns and Controlling
            7. Yankin' and Liftin' Their Whole Lives: A Mississippi River Commercial Fisherman
            8. Dynamic Asset Pricing Theory, Third Edition.
            9. The Wall Street Journal Guide to Understanding Personal Finance, Fourth Edition
            10. There's Something in a Sunday