Using game theory to assess multi-company strategies in watershed management

Abstract The main objective of this work was to evaluate the use of game theory as a strategic tool for watershed management decision-making. An engineering problem case study was used in which three organizations compare various scenarios when deciding where to locate a polluting plant on a watershed. Six games were modeled to provide a variety of conditions that could feasibly be implemented and were simulated using software for finding Nash Equilibria solutions. The results show that game theory can provide key insights, such as the consideration of other players' strategies, and identify possible pitfalls that may occur when the companies seek only to maximize their individual profitability.

摘要 本研究的核心目标为评估博弈论（Game Theory）作为流域管理决策战略工具的应用价值。本研究采用一项工程问题案例：三家组织机构需在流域内选址建设污染工厂，过程中需对比多种不同情景。研究构建了六类博弈模型以覆盖多种具备实际可行性的情景，并通过用于求解纳什均衡（Nash Equilibria）的软件完成模拟仿真。研究结果表明，博弈论可提供关键决策洞见，例如考量其他参与者的策略选择，并能识别出企业仅追求自身收益最大化时可能出现的潜在陷阱。