Using Control and Systems Theoretic Concepts to Set Prices of Goods and Services in Competitive Markets

Abstract

In this paper, we describe how control theoretic methods of modelling, optimisation and learning/adaptation have been used to develop a generic approach to price setting in competitive markets. This generic approach has been incorporated into a set of decision support tools which are now routinely used to set prices of petrol at each petrol station for networks of petrol stations, for the pricing of mobile telephony tariffs as well as for the pricing of goods in mass retailing. Real life examples of the use of these tools are also provided in the paper.