Month: October 2024

November 11: Daniel Rehsmann (QSMS Seminar)

Daniel Rehsmann (University of Vienna) will present “Choose Your Auction: Mechanism Design for a Bidder” (with Dmitriy Knyazev)” on November 11th, 2024, at 10:30 AM, in room QA406.

Abstract:   

This study discusses the maximization of a bidder’s utility in auctions by leveraging the information about a bidder’s value to formulate the auction’s rules. To make the analysis interesting, the research focuses on auction formats perceived as fair and unbiased, in line with common EU or WTO procurement regulations. In our main setup, we do not allow the auction to pay the bidders and characterize a preferable auction format as a second-price auction with pooling regions. The analysis then extends to include transfers towards bidders and demonstrates how a substantial interim utility can be guaranteed to a bidder without running a deficit in equilibrium. The theory is applied to a model of favoritism, discussing whether forms of preferential treatment in auctions are preventable or detectable.

Postdoctoral researcher position (Q24)

The Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences (GTK) of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) invites applications for two full-time postdoctoral research positions at the Quantitative Social and Management Sciences Research Centre starting in the fall of 2025 at the latest.

Research Fields of interest: Game Theory, Economic Theory, Industrial Organization, Management, Digital Economics, Production Management, Operations Research, Social Choice Theory, Sustainable Development, Energy Economics, Apportionment, Network- and Experimental Economics, subfields of Sociology Theory including Signalling Theory and Reciprocity Theory and other quantitative fields and topics.

Applicants should have a PhD degree before taking up the position. The duration of the postdoctoral positions is three years. During this time, postdocs have the possibility to get involved in the teaching and other activities of the various departments and obtain tenure there: we expect to have 1 or more openings in 2028. We offer favourable conditions regarding research facilities, data access, time devoted to research, travel support, etc. While the position is research only, there will be opportunities to teach at the graduate level.

The Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences is the youngest faculty of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, comprising various departments and study programmes. BME is a widely acclaimed institute of technology and the world’s oldest technical university celebrating its 242nd academic year.

Application Procedure: Applications consisting of a motivation letter, CV, 3 referee letters and the job market paper must be submitted online at http://www.econjobmarket.org. Shortlisted applicants are invited to an online interview and/or a campus visit.

Deadline: Applicants will not be considered after 31 January. We reserve the right to fill the position or positions with the first qualifying applicant.

BME is an equal opportunity employer. BME is committed to respecting the EJME 2024/25 guidelines.

Further information: Questions, but not applications, can be sent to egervari.zsuzsanna.@gtk.bme.hu.

October 7: Márton Benedek (QSMS Seminar)

Márton Benedek (KRTK, Corvinus University) will present “Computing the nucleolus of cooperative games” on October 7th, 2024, at 10:30 AM, in room QA406.

Abstract:   

The nucleolus offers a desirable payoff-sharing solution in cooperative games, thanks to its attractive properties—it always exists and lies in the core (if the core is nonempty), and it is unique. The nucleolus is considered as the most ‘stable’ solution in the sense that it lexicographically minimizes the dissatisfactions among all coalitions. In this talk we are focusing on the different computation methods of the nucleolus: the traditionally most widely employed scheme using a sequence of linear programs (LPs), as well as less traditional methods, such as single-LP and nonlinear approaches, and the state-of-the-art lexicographical descent method. We will also focus on the role of characterization sets, and briefly discuss some of the recent applications.