The application of game theory on customisation strategies in the construction industry

As an interdisciplinary topic in architecture and the built environment, mass customisation has successfully flourished and thrived on technology and knowledge transfer both in its core concept from the manufacturing industry and in secondary concepts borrowed from other disciplines. This chapter uses the game theory as an established mathematical theory in economics to show how informal rules can decrease willing to take shortcuts in fulfilling rules, regulations and requirements while offering customisation; a higher choice for a better value to the end user, customer or client in the building industry. This will be initiated with an introduction to the concepts and an analytical review of the theory and how it works in a society. The discussion will then be followed by an analogical comparison between different perspectives in a society, in general, and the building industry, or in a more specific focus, construction economy, for the application of this theory. Finally the chapter concludes that this strategy works at a theory level and some proof of concept should be designed and implemented to demonstrate its practical application in professional practice in the building industry.