Matchmakers and Markets The Revolutionary Role of Information in the Economy

To understand the bewildering complexities of consumer markets and financial markets, you'll need to look beyond traditional textbooks. This book aims to better understanding of current markets through studying the implications of living in an information age. It examines the impacts that information has on how markets function, and presents a novel market theory in which information takes centre stage when analyzing how the economy functions and evolves. It depicts markets with three categories of actors (consumers, businesses, and information intermediaries), and predicts the growing importance of the role of information intermediaries, or 'matchmakers', as facilitators of transactions between consumers and businesses.

Matchmakers and Markets will guide readers to reflect on their own role in the economy. It provides numerous scenarios and examples from the real-world economy, enabling readers to ask new questions and draw their own conclusions. The aim of this book is to stimulate the reader's own thinking, whether a consumer on the high street, or an investor on Wall Street, a policy maker in the government armchair, or an entrepreneur dreaming to make the next big thing in the world. This book will stir up discussion and debate as the claims and conclusions move away from mainstream theories.

Yi-Cheng Zhang, Professor of Theoretical Physics, Fribourg University, Switzerland

Yi-Cheng Zhang is a theoretical physicist, educated in China, Austria, Italy, and the US. He has been a physics professor at the Fribourg University in Switzerland for over two decades. He is also the honorary director of Complexity Research Centre of Alibaba. His research interests encompass a wide range of subjects including interdisciplinary sciences, finance, and internet applications in the society.

Part I: Information and Consumer Markets
1. Magic Pie
2. Matchmakers
3. Personal Assistant
4. Diversification
Part II: Finance and Information Markets
5. Financial markets
6. Information markets
Part III: Markets and Institutions
7. From markets to the economy
8. Man and the economy
9. Evolving economy
10. Paradigm shift