On the nucleolus of neighbor games

Assignment problems are well-known problems in practice. We mention house markets, job markets, and production planning. The games of interest in this paper, the neighbor games, arise from a special class of assignment problems. We focus on the nucleolus [d. Schmeidler, siam j. Appl. Math. 17 (1969) 1163–1170], one of the most prominent core solutions. A core solution is interesting with respect to neighbor games because it divides the profit of an optimal matching in a stable manner. This paper establishes a polynomial bounded algorithm of quadratic order in the number of players for calculating the nucleolus of neighbor games

A geometric chracterization of the nucleolus of the assignment game

core, assignment games, nucleolus, cooperative games, kernel

Shapley Meets Shapley

This paper concerns the analysis of the Shapley value in matching games. Matching games constitute a fundamental class of cooperative games which help understand and model auctions and assignments. In a matching game, the value of a coalition of vertices is the weight of the maximum size matching in the subgraph induced by the coalition. The Shapley value is one of the most important solution concepts in cooperative game theory. After establishing some general insights, we show that the Shapley value of matching games can be computed in polynomial time for some special cases: graphs with maximum degree two, and graphs that have a small modular decomposition into cliques or cocliques (complete k-partite graphs are a notable special case of this). The latter result extends to various other well-known classes of graph-based cooperative games. We continue by showing that computing the Shapley value of unweighted matching games is #P-complete in general. Finally, a fully polynomial-time randomized approximation scheme (FPRAS) is presented. This FPRAS can be considered the best positive result conceivable, in view of the #P-completeness result.Comment: 17 page

Cooperation, allocation and strategy in interactive decision-making

Game theory is the mathematical theory to analyze the behavior of rational decisionmakers in both cooperative and strategic interactive situations. It aims to resolve these situations by developing mathematical models and applying mathematical tools to provide insights in the interactive decision-making process. This dissertation studies the theoretical model of a transferable utility game with limited cooperation possibilities as well as altruistic equilibrium concepts for the model of a strategic game. Furthermore, this dissertation deals with several interactive allocation and operations research problems related to claims, sequencing and purchasing situations in which both cooperative and strategic approaches play a role

Characterizing Compromise Stability of Games Using Larginal Vectors

The core cover of a TU-game is a superset of the core and equals the convex hull of its larginal vectors. A larginal vector corresponds to an order of the players and describes the efficient payoff vector giving the first players in the order their utopia demand as long as it is still possible to assign the remaining players at least their minimum right. A game is called compromise stable if the core is equal to the core cover, i.e. the core is the convex hull of the larginal vectors. In this paper we describe two ways of characterizing sets of larginal vectors that satisfy the condition that if every larginal vector of the set is a core element, then the game is compromise stable. The first characterization of these sets is based on a neighbor argument on orders of the players. The second one uses combinatorial and matching arguments and leads to a complete characterization of these sets. We find characterizing sets of minimum cardinality, a closed formula for the minimum number of orders in these sets, and a partition of the set of all orders in which each element of the partition is a minimum characterizing set.

Core Stability in Chain-Component Additive Games

Chain-component additive games are graph-restricted superadditive games, where an exogenously given line-graph determines the cooperative possibilities of the players.These games can model various multi-agent decision situations, such as strictly hierarchical organisations or sequencing / scheduling related problems, where an order of the agents is fixed by some external factor, and with respect to this order only consecutive coalitions can generate added value. In this paper we characterise core stability of chain-component additive games in terms of polynomial many linear inequalities and equalities that arise from the combinatorial structure of the game.Furthermore we show that core stability is equivalent to essential extendibility.We also obtain that largeness of the core as well as extendibility and exactness of the game are equivalent properties which are all sufficient for core stability.Moreover, we also characterise these properties in terms of linear inequalities.Core stability;graph-restricted games;large core;exact game