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  • June 2013 (Revised November 2022)
  • Exercise

Competition Simulator Exercise

By: Eric J. Van den Steen
  • Format:Electronic
  • | Language:English
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Abstract

In the Competition Simulator Exercise, students explore through trial and error some important economic foundations of competitive strategy and managerial economics. In particular, the nine simulator exercises let students explore horizontal differentiation with and without price setting, strategic complements and substitutes and their implications for commitment and for first-mover advantage, the effect of the number of competitors on the competitiveness of a market, capacity limitations and judo economics, natural monopoly and the effect of market size, technology choice as entry deterrence, endogenous economies of scale, and capacity limitation in commodity markets. It can be used to introduce these concepts without necessarily relying on a lot of math or as an intuitive complement to a more mathematical exposition.

Keywords

Competition; Economics; Game Theory; Competitive Strategy; Learning; Mathematical Methods; Analysis

Citation

Van den Steen, Eric J. "Competition Simulator Exercise." Harvard Business School Exercise 713-804, June 2013. (Revised November 2022.)
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About The Author

Eric J. Van den Steen

Strategy
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Related Work

    • June 2013 (Revised November 2022)
    • Faculty Research

    Competition Simulator Exercise

    By: Eric J. Van den Steen
Related Work
  • Competition Simulator Exercise By: Eric J. Van den Steen
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