Privacy, Personalization, and Price Discrimination

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinem Hidir ◽  
Nikhil Vellodi
Keyword(s):  
Market Segmentation ◽  
Price Discrimination ◽  
Design Problem ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Search Interface ◽  
Online Retail ◽  
Consumer Privacy ◽  
Incentive Compatible ◽  
Novel Design

Abstract We study a bilateral trade setting in which a buyer has private valuations over a multi-product seller’s inventory. We introduce the notion of an incentive-compatible market segmentation (IC-MS)—a market segmentation compatible with the buyer’s incentives to voluntarily reveal their preferences. Our main result is a characterization of the buyer-optimal IC-MS. It is partially revealing, comprised primarily of pooling segments wide enough to keep prices low but narrow enough to ensure trade over relevant products. We use our results to study a novel design problem in which a retail platform seeks to attract consumers by calibrating the coarseness of its search interface. Our analysis speaks directly to consumer privacy and the debate regarding product steering versus price discrimination in online retail.

scholarly journals Implantable Optrode Array for Optogenetic Modulation and Electrical Neural Recording

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 725
Author(s):  
Saeyeong Jeon ◽  
Youjin Lee ◽  
Daeho Ryu ◽  
Yoon Kyung Cho ◽  
Yena Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Neural Recording ◽  
Electrophysiological Recording ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Neuroscience Research ◽  
Cell Type Specific ◽  
Novel Design

During the last decade, optogenetics has become an essential tool for neuroscience research due to its unrivaled feature of cell-type-specific neuromodulation. There have been several technological advances in light delivery devices. Among them, the combination of optogenetics and electrophysiology provides an opportunity for facilitating optogenetic approaches. In this study, a novel design of an optrode array was proposed for realizing optical modulation and electrophysiological recording. A 4 × 4 optrode array and five-channel recording electrodes were assembled as a disposable part, while a reusable part comprised an LED (light-emitting diode) source and a power line. After the characterization of the intensity of the light delivered at the fiber tips, in vivo animal experiment was performed with transgenic mice expressing channelrhodopsin, showing the effectiveness of optical activation and neural recording.

The randomized communication complexity of revenue maximization

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-83
Author(s):  
Aviad Rubinstein ◽  
Junyao Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bounds ◽  
Communication Complexity ◽  
Social Choice Rule ◽  
Valuation Function ◽  
Optimal Auctions ◽  
Incentive Compatible ◽  
First Approximation ◽  
Exponential Separation ◽  
Open Question

We study the communication complexity of incentive compatible auction-protocols between a monopolist seller and a single buyer with a combinatorial valuation function over n items [Rubinstein and Zhao 2021]. Motivated by the fact that revenue-optimal auctions are randomized [Thanassoulis 2004; Manelli and Vincent 2010; Briest et al. 2010; Pavlov 2011; Hart and Reny 2015] (as well as by an open problem of Babaioff, Gonczarowski, and Nisan [Babaioff et al. 2017]), we focus on the randomized communication complexity of this problem (in contrast to most prior work on deterministic communication). We design simple, incentive compatible, and revenue-optimal auction-protocols whose expected communication complexity is much (in fact infinitely) more efficient than their deterministic counterparts. We also give nearly matching lower bounds on the expected communication complexity of approximately-revenue-optimal auctions. These results follow from a simple characterization of incentive compatible auction-protocols that allows us to prove lower bounds against randomized auction-protocols. In particular, our lower bounds give the first approximation-resistant, exponential separation between communication complexity of incentivizing vs implementing a Bayesian incentive compatible social choice rule, settling an open question of Fadel and Segal [Fadel and Segal 2009].

scholarly journals Price Discrimination and Smuggling of AIDS Drugs

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Hornbeck
Keyword(s):  
Market Segmentation ◽  
Price Discrimination ◽  
Patent Protection ◽  
Drug Distribution ◽  
Pharmaceutical Companies ◽  
Market Exchange ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Developed Markets ◽  
Aids Drugs ◽  
Research Incentives

AbstractPatent-holding pharmaceutical companies are shown to be imperfectly able to charge differential prices for AIDS drugs due to the potential for black market exchange. Thus, greater segmentation in the international market through additional barriers to smuggling would induce firms to charge lower prices for AIDS drugs in poorer countries. Without these additional barriers, widespread drug distribution through mandated lower prices or weakened patent protection in the developing world would result in smuggling, undercutting demand in developed markets and reducing firms’ research incentives. By contrast, further market segmentation would allow policy makers to go beyond the induced price cuts and remove patent protection in many markets where the benefits to increased distribution would likely outweigh the losses to research incentives.

A Note on the Multidimensional Monopolist Problem and Intertemporal Price Discrimination

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariano G Runco
Keyword(s):  
Price Discrimination ◽  
Price Strategy ◽  
Incentive Compatible ◽  
Step Functions ◽  
Intertemporal Price Discrimination ◽  
Ex Ante ◽  
Posted Prices ◽  
Price Discriminate ◽  
Heterogeneous Consumers ◽  
Over Time

This note analyzes a model of a monopolist selling multiple goods to a continuum of heterogeneous consumers. The implementation of Direct Revelation Mechanisms is analyzed in that setting, finding that it is possible for the monopolist to implement all Stochastic Incentive Compatible Mechanisms by committing to post a decreasing sequence of prices. The posted prices depend on time and have the desirable property of being step functions. When the optimal mechanisms are stochastic, it is optimal for the monopolist to price discriminate over time, contrary to the conventional wisdom that a single-good monopolist committed to an ex-ante price strategy will not price discriminate.

Design of a Microfluidic Chip for Enrichment of Circulating Tumor Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 645-646 ◽  
pp. 1320-1325
Author(s):  
Xi Xin Ling ◽  
Da Hai Ren ◽  
Zheng You
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Circulating Tumor Cells ◽  
Microfluidic Chip ◽  
Comsol Multiphysics ◽  
Enrichment Method ◽  
Cancer Metastases ◽  
Simulation Results ◽  
Novel Design ◽  
Identification And Characterization

Identification and characterization of CTCs can be used as a tool for the study of cancer metastases. A novel design of microfluidic chip used for enrichment of circulating tumor cells is presented in this paper. An integration of DLD method and negative enrichment method were designed to improve the throughput and recovery rate while getting intact CTCs. The DLD stage is used to separate CTCs from blood cells preliminarily, and the negative enrichment stage is used to acquire purified CTCs. Both of them were simulated with COMSOL Multiphysics. Simulation results showed that triangular micro-posts have better performance in DLD stage, and wave structures could generate better disturbance effect than herringbone structures. This chip provides a potential approach with high throughput and purity for the enrichment of CTCs.

scholarly journals Hassle Costs and Price Discrimination: An Empirical Welfare Analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillermo Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Discrete Choice ◽  
Market Segmentation ◽  
Price Discrimination ◽  
Choice Model ◽  
Welfare Analysis ◽  
Discrete Choice Model ◽  
Shrinkage Effect ◽  
Welfare Consequences ◽  
Customer Welfare

This paper studies a market where soda is sold in both refillable and nonrefillable bottles. Purchasing refillables is inconvenient but cheaper. Using a discrete choice model, I find that price-sensitive customers put less weight on the inconveniences of purchasing refillables. This implies that a retailer can target lower prices to price-sensitive customers using the refillable segment. I evaluate the overall welfare consequences of this market segmentation and find that both customer welfare and profits would decrease (by 12.61 and 4.21 percent, respectively) if the refillables were removed, as there would be an important market-shrinkage effect. (JEL D22, L13, L25, L81)

scholarly journals Characterization for the necessity of thermophilic biogas digester of tea waste and cooked waste for biogas production

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
Nirmal Halder
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Analysis ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Thermo Gravimetric Analysis ◽  
Gravimetric Analysis ◽  
Thermo Gravimetric ◽  
Tea Waste ◽  
Thermophilic Digestion ◽  
First Time ◽  
Novel Design

<p><span>Characterization of tea waste, cooked waste has been done by various authors but for the first time it has been done for understanding the necessity of thermophilic digestion. And for this kind of digestion takes place in thermophilic digester for efficient biogas production. Detailed morphological analysis of feedstock has been determined. In the present study, thermo gravimetric analysis carried out For easy and fast digestion of cooked waste, a novel design of thermophilic digester is proposed and tested.</span></p>

scholarly journals CASE STUDY IN SYSTEMATIC DESIGN ENGINEERING – STAGE BARGE GANGWAY

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Ernst Eder
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Design Problem ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Process Engineering ◽  
Design Engineering ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Systematic Design ◽  
Novel Design

Students learning design engineering at times need a good example of procedure for novel design engineering. The systematic heuristic-strategic use of a theory to guide the design process – Engineering Design Science – and the methodical design process followed in this case study is only necessary in limited situations. The full procedure should be learned, such that the studentcan select appropriate parts for other applications.This case example is presented to show application of the recommended method, and the expected scope of the output, with emphasis on the stages of conceptualizing. The case follows a novel design problem of a gangway for ship-shore transfer for the Caravan Stage Barge.

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