Who Gets What—and Why: The New Economics of Matchmaking and Market Design

From Nobel Prize in Economics winner Alvin E. Roth, this book explores matching markets—economic systems where buyers and sellers must choose each other, and price alone does not determine outcomes. While most economic study focuses on commodity markets where prices connect sellers and buyers, matching markets operate differently. Examples include admissions to Yale's freshman class, hiring for positions at Google, job searches, college applications, kindergarten placement, and dating. In each case, both parties must select one another. Roth reveals the matching markets present throughout modern life and explains how to recognize good matches and make more informed decisions in these situations. The book demonstrates how matching market principles apply to everyday choices and institutional processes.