The Art of Strategy (A Game Theorist’s Guide to Success in Business and Life)

Reviews "This wonderful book proves that game theory is too interesting and important to be relegated to arcane academic journals. I am hard-pressed to think of another book I’ve read that can match the combination of practical insights and reading enjoyment in The Art of Strategy. I liked it so much I read it twice."

—Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of Freakonomics

"When you’ve finished this brilliant book, you will have learned an entirely new and very artful approach to making decisions. The anecdotes and examples are amazing."

—Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind

"For years I’ve been asked what to read in order to learn, or to learn about, game theory. I eventually chose Thinking Strategically by Dixit and Nalebuff. Now I can recommend with even more enthusiasm their wonderfully ingenious new presentation. And if you already know game theory, just enjoy it."

—Thomas C. Schelling, winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics

Your bible for developing winning strategies in business and in the game of life.

Game theory. You may have heard of it (or seen A Beautiful Mind) and wondered how it can help you play the game of life. This book shows you how.

Whether negotiating with your six-year-old over when to go to bed, deciding how your firm respond to a rival’s price cut, or trying to ensure that you’ll stick to New Year’s resolution, each of us faces a myriad of strategic interactions everyday. You can muddle through and hope for good luck, or you can become better at recognizing, even anticipating, strategic situations and knowing how to respond.

Game theory provides a method for strategic thinking. Put into practice, it is the art of outdoing your adversary, knowing that he or she is trying to do the same to you. It is the art of understanding what others mean based on what they do, not just on what they say. It is the art of anticipating and preempting what others will do or how they will respond to your actions. And, just as important, it is the art of finding ways to cooperate with others, even when they are motivated by selfishness, not benevolence,

Avinash K. Dixit and Barry J. Nalebuff are two of the world’s experts on game theory. From years of teaching and practice, they have found that the best way to learn this science and turn it into an art is through stories and examples. The Art of Strategy is filled with dozens of accounts from the worlds of business, politics, negotiations, sports, music, movies, and popular culture. Whether discussing strategies for losing weight or becoming a better bargainer, parent, tennis player, or eBay bidder, this entertaining narrative is rich with insight.

Through the lessons contained in the book’s pages, you will learn how to outmaneuver rivals, find avenues for cooperation, and become more successful in all your pursuits. And if you want to be fair to your adversaries, share this book with them.

About Author:

S AVINASH K, DIXIT is the John J, F. Sherrerd ‘52 University Professor of economics at Princeton University.

BARRY J. NALEBUFF is the Milton Steinbach Professor at the Yale School of Management.

They practice what they preach Dixit is one of the most successful researchers and teachers among economists, while Nalebuff applies game theory to business strategy and is the cofounder of one of America’s fastest- growing companies, Honest Tea.