Dissertation

This page showcases my major academic research works:

  • My MSc dissertation at Warwick Business School, which focused on dynamic pricing strategies in competitive markets shaped by social media trends.
  • My Undergraduate dissertation at Ahmedabad University, which explored ways to improve the efficiency and societal impact of the city’s Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS).

My MSc dissertation at Warwick Business School explored how firms can remain profitable and competitive in volatile markets shaped by social-media-driven trends such as those on TikTok. The project developed an agent-based simulation framework integrating econometric demand estimation (OLS regression with reference price and trend effects), Bayesian updating to filter noisy social signals, and custom Q-learning reinforcement learning agents. I applied skills in Python (pandas, numpy, matplotlib, statsmodels), econometrics, Bayesian inference, reinforcement learning, and simulation design to evaluate markdowns, promotions, and adaptive pricing. The results showed that markdown strategies consistently outperformed promotions by stabilising consumer expectations, signalling fairness, and sustaining long-term revenues, while promotions created short-lived sales spikes but eroded trust and profitability. Reinforcement learning achieved superior profitability once trained, but Bayesian smoothing proved essential in enhancing stability and consumer trust by filtering noise from trend shocks. The impact of this research lies in bridging behavioural pricing theory with algorithmic approaches, providing a sequenced roadmap for firms to first use markdowns, then transition to reinforcement learning, and finally integrate Bayesian updating for sustainable competitive advantage, while also highlighting the ethical and policy implications of algorithmic pricing in digital markets.

View Full MSc Dissertation (PDF)

Enhancing Efficiency and Societal Impact of Ahmedabad’s BRTS: Interventions and Innovations

My undergraduate dissertation at Ahmedabad University focused on improving the efficiency, inclusivity, and sustainability of Ahmedabad’s Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), which despite being introduced as an eco-friendly urban mobility solution remains underutilised. The project combined a behavioural survey with traffic simulations using SUMO (Simulation of Urban Mobility) and statistical analysis in SPSS to identify barriers such as poor last-mile connectivity and waiting times. I applied skills in survey design, urban transport policy analysis, data analysis, and traffic modelling to evaluate different transport scenarios, including electric bus adoption and integrated corridors. The results showed that over 60% of respondents preferred private vehicles, but significant willingness to switch emerged when safety, waiting time, and connectivity improved. Simulation results confirmed that optimised public transport with electric buses reduces emissions and travel time, demonstrating clear environmental and social benefits. The impact of this work was to provide actionable policy recommendations—such as discounted student fares, higher parking fees near universities, and last-mile electric mobility integration—that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals on sustainable cities and climate action, thereby contributing to both academic knowledge and practical strategies for sustainable transport planning.

View Full Undergraduate Dissertation (PDF)