Game theory joke on telling the truth
A long-time Mind Your Decisions reader sent me the following joke about the strategy of a confession. It's a classic--enjoy! The joke "Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have been with a loose girl". The priest asks, "Is that you, little Joey Pagano ?" "Yes, Father, it is." "And who was the girl ...

Game theory and pricing cell phone minutes
Why did business X follow strategy Y? While we rarely know the inside thinking, it can be fun to speculate. In the past, I have considered the motivation behind free samples (betcha can't have just one) and price matching (surprise, this might not help consumers!). Recently Rohnel emailed me to consider ...

Game theory links 9-15-09
I've been working on a few improvements and additions to the site (stay tuned), so I put this week's game theory post on hold. Instead, I'm linking out to a few game theory articles. Check them out! The music piracy game and DRM Zeroth Code offers a nice game-theory argument on why ...

The 4 most important resume tips
How many resumes do you need? How long should your resume be? What should you write about? How often should you update your resume? These are just a few of the issues involved when writing a resume. Even though there are many experts offering opinions, it is hard to find trusted ...

Why you can trust a woman with an MBA
My newlywed friend is applying for an MBA. She and I were discussing her application and general factors, like lost salary and tuition cost. But then the conversation shifted towards strategy. How would the MBA affect her employability in a game theory sense? We came up with a few ideas, and ...

Reflecting on Labor Day – Rich Man’s Burden
image by quapan This Labor day holiday, I am taking it easy and relaxing. And I truly appreciate the break. For in America, enjoying time off is the exception rather than the rule. And peculiarly, it is the rich who bear the burden the most. The more we earn, the ...

The best job in the world
Do you wish you had a better job? It's easy to dream about better jobs. It's easy to dream about jobs that pay more, are more glamorous, and offer more power. I remember feeling this way during my first job. So what would be the best job in the world? Perhaps it is ...

Pay cuts or job layoffs—which one is better?
My friend's company sustained substantial losses during this year. The rumor is the company wants to cut costs, either through pay cuts or job layoffs. Which option is better? Apparently the company is unsure about what to do, and it is contemplating a few options, including the following: --Survey employees to see ...