Housing in game‐theoretical perspective

This article presents a game‐theoretical framework for the study of housing provision, with particular reference to housing organisations. These organisations and their leaders are seen as acting in three arenas: internal, market and political. The interplay between organisations and other actors within the three arenas can be analysed as nested games, where pay‐offs in one arena are influenced by conditions in the others. In some cases the result of one game determines the rules of later games. Games over tenure legislation are probably the most important cases of institutional design in housing. The outcomes of ‘tenure games’ in the policy arena lay down the rules of future games in the market and organisational arenas and, indirectly, in the political arena as well. Over time a historical chain of games and institutions is developed. This evolutionary process can be investigated through detailed ‘process tracing’, combined with comparative studies.