When underlying demand is uncertain and follows a complex stochastic process, pricing problems are difficult to solve. In such cases, certainty equivalent (CE) policies, based on solving the deterministic relaxation of a stochastic pricing problem, can be used as practical alternatives. CE...

A common practice for freemium games is to launch with a simple and intuitive design and release premium features over time in the form of in-app purchases (IAPs) to monetize players.We propose an optimal control model that yields insights into the optimality and economic justification of such...

A firm hires an agent (e.g., store manager) to undertake both operational and marketing tasks. Marketing tasks boost demand, but for demand to translate into sales, operational effort is required to maintain adequate inventory. The firm designs a compensation plan to induce the agent to put...

Tellurium (Te) is a Critical Element that is toxic to microorganisms and humans alike, most notably in its soluble oxyanionic forms. To date, the biogeochemical behaviour of Te in Earth’s surface environment is largely unknown. Here, we report the discovery of elemental Te nanoparticles (Te...