Neimark–Sacker bifurcation analysis and complex nonlinear dynamics in a heterogeneous quadropoly game with an isoelastic demand function

Abstract

In this paper, a nonlinear quadropoly game based on Cournot model with fully heterogeneous players is established. This game extends the model introduced by Tramontana and Elsadany (Nonlinear Dyn 68:187–193, 2012) who considered a heterogeneous triopoly game with an isoelastic demand function. Here, four different types of players and potentially different marginal costs are considered. Moreover, the assumption of an isoelastic demand function increases the nonlinearity of the final four-dimensional map. The stability of the resulting discrete-time dynamical system is analyzed. The existence of Neimark–Sacker bifurcation near the Nash equilibrium point of the game is shown. Also, based on the Kuznetsov’s normal form technique for discrete-time system, the stability of the Neimark–Sacker bifurcation is also discussed which indicates that the bifurcation is supercritical. Moreover, it is shown that the Nash equilibrium point of the game undergoes period-doubling (flip) bifurcation. Furthermore, the double route to chaotic dynamics in this model, via flip bifurcations and via Neimark–Sacker bifurcation of the Nash equilibrium point, is illustrated. Coexistence of multi-chaotic attractors of the model is illustrated. Simulation tools like bifurcation diagrams, stability regions of parameters, Lyapunov exponent spectrum, phase plots and basins of attraction are used to verify the complex dynamics of the game.