Weak Stability and a Bargaining Set for the Marriage Model

In this note we introduceweak stability, a relaxation of the concept of stability for the marriage model by assuming that the agents are no longer myopic in choosing a blocking pair. The new concept is based on threats within blocking pairs: an individually rational matching is weakly stable if for every blocking pair one of themembers can find a more attractive partner with whom he forms another blocking pair for the original matching. Our main result is that under the assumption of strict preferences, the set of weakly stable and weakly efficient matchings coincides with the bargaining set of Zhou (1994) for this context.matching;(weak) stability;bargaining set

Balancedness of Permutation Games and Envy-Free Allocations in Indivisible Good Economies

We present a simple proof of the balancedness of permutation games. In the proof we use the existence of envy-free allocations in economies with indivisible objects, quasi-linear utility functions, and an amount of money.Permutation Games;Balancedness;Envy-free Allocations

A Dual Egalitarian Solution

In this note we introduce an egalitarian solution, called the dual egalitarian solution, that is the natural counterpart of the egalitarian solution of Dutta and Ray (1989).We prove, among others, that for a convex game the egalitarian solution coincides with the dual egalitarian solution for its dual concave game.cooperative games;egalitarianism;duality

On the Balancedness of M-Sequencing Games

This paper studies m-sequencing games that arise from sequencing situations with m parallel and identical machines. These m-sequencing games, which involve n players, give rise to m-machine games, which involve m players. Here, n corresponds to the number of jobs in an m-sequencing situation, and m corresponds to the number of machines in the same m-sequencing situation. We prove that an m-sequening game is balanced if and only if the corresponding m-machine game is balanced. Furthermore, it is shown that m-sequencing games are balanced ifm 2 f1;2g. Finally, ifm 3, balancedness is established for two special classes of m-sequencing games.cooperative games;sequencing situations

Envy-Free Allocations of Indivisible Objects:An Algorithm and an Application

This paper studies envy-free allocations for economies with indivisible objects, quasi-linear utility functions, and an amount of money.We give a polynomially bounded algorithm for finding envy-free allocations.Connectedness of envy-graphs, which are used in the algorithm, characterizes the extreme points of the polytopes of sidepayments corresponding with envy-free allocations.As an application, the existence result of envy-free allocations provides a proof of the total balancedness of permutation games.

On the Convexity of Precedence Sequencing Games

In this paper we study a class of cooperative sequencing games that arise from one-machine sequencing situations in which chain precedence relations are imposed on the jobs.It is shown that these sequencing games are convex.cooperative games;sequencing games

The added value of system robustness analysis for flood risk management

Decision makers in fluvial flood risk management increasingly acknowledge that they have to prepare for extreme events. Flood risk is the most common basis on which to compare flood risk-reducing strategies. To take uncertainties into account the criteria of robustness and flexibility are advocated as well. This paper discusses the added value of robustness as additional decision criterion compared to single-value flood risk only. We do so by quantifying flood risk and system robustness for alternative system configurations of the Ijssel River valley in the Netherlands. We found that robustness analysis has added value in three respects: (1) it does not require assumptions on current and future flood probabilities, since flood consequences are shown as a function of discharge, (2) it shows the sensitivity of the system to varying discharges and (3) it supports a discussion on the acceptability of flood damage. We conclude that robustness analysis is a valuable addition to flood risk analysis in support of long-term decision-making on flood risk managemen

A Cooperative Approach to Queue Allocation of Indivisible Objects

We consider the allocation of a finite number of indivisible objects to the same number of agents according to an exogenously given queue.We assume that the agents collaborate in order to achieve an efficient outcome for society.We allow for side-payments and provide a method for obtaining stable outcomes.game theory;cooperative games;allocation

A Many-to-Many 'Rural Hospital Theorem'

We show that the full version of the so-called ‘rural hospital theorem’ generalizes to many-to-many matching problems where agents on both sides of the problem have substitutable and weakly separable preferences. We reinforce our result by showing that when agents’ preferences satisfy substitutability, the domain of weakly separable preferences is also maximal for the rural hospital theorem to hold

Flood risk analysis for the river Scheldt estuary

This report gives an overview of the history of flood risk management along the Scheldt estuary. Thepurpose of this overview is twofold. It documents the results obtained in the first activity of the Task25 Pilot, being focused on flood risk analysis, both in historical perspective and with regard to currentpolicies. Secondly, it provides an introduction to the Scheldt estuary for other partners in theFLOODsite project which will use the Scheldt Pilot for their own tasks and activities.The Scheldt estuary is a clear example where integrated water management is required. Integratedmeans in this case: meeting the objectives for 3 major basic functions and values of the estuary: safety,accessibility (navigation) and ecology. Recently finalised and ongoing projects, such as Proses and theSIGMA plan show a highly multidisciplinary approach in order to fulfil these objectives.From the perspective of flood risk management we see a significant difference in approach betweenBelgium and the Netherlands. The Belgian New Sigma Plan has used an approach that is strikinglysimilar to the FLOODsite methodology, i.e. going through the three phases Risk Analysis, RiskAssessment and Flood Management Strategy formulation. In contrast, the Dutch flood riskmanagement was developed over a long historical period, with the Delta Plan as the final apotheosis.In the time the Delta Plan was formulated, there was hardly any attention and technology available todetermine flood probability and flood damage