Solution of the linear inverse vector optimization problem by a single linear program

It is shown that finding a solution to a linear vector optimization problem which is efficient with respect to the constraints as well as to the objectives is equivalent to solving a single linear program.The research of this author was supported by NSF Grant DCR74-20584.The research of this author was partially supported by Canada Council Grant W760467.     

Existence of efficient solutions for vector maximization problems

The vector maximization problem arises when more than one objective function is to be maximized over a given feasibility region. The concept of efficiency has played a useful role in analyzing this problem. In order to exclude efficient solutions of a certain anomalous type, the concept of proper efficiency has also been utilized. In this paper, an examination of the existence of efficient and properly efficient solutions for the vector maximization problem is undertaken. Given a feasible solution for the vector maximization problem, a related single-objective mathematical programming problem is investigated. Any optimal solution to this program, if one exists, yields an efficient solution for the vector maximization problem. In many cases, the unboundedness of this problem shows that no properly efficient solutions exist. Conditions are pointed out under which the latter conclusion implies that the set of efficient solutions is null. As a byproduct of our results, conditions are derived which guarantee that the outcome of any improperly efficient point is the limit of the outcomes of some sequence of properly efficient points. Examples are provided to illustrate these results.The author would like to thank Professor T. L. Morin for his helpful comments. Thanks also go to an anonymous reviewer for his useful comments concerning an earlier version of this paper.The author would like to acknowledge a useful discussion with Professor G. Bitran which helped in motivating Example 4.1.     

Vector maximization with two objective functions

This note gives a characterization of an efficient solution for the vector maximization problem with two objective functions. This characterization yields a parametric procedure for generating the set of all efficient solutions for this problem. The parametric procedure can also be used to solve certain bicriterion mathematical programs.     

非光滑向量极值问题的真有效解与最优性条件

讨论了赋范线性空间中非光滑向量极值问题的Hatley,Borwein,Benson真有效解之间的关系,指出了它们共同的标量极值问题的等价刻画,建立了问题（VMP）的广义KT-真有效解的充分条件,并给出了向量极小值问题在锥局部凸、拟凸、伪凸等条件下的最优性条件。     

Interval arithmetic for guaranteed bounds in linear programming

In this note, we show how interval arithmetic can be used to give a solution to the linear programming problem which is guaranteed to be on the safe side of the true solution, where roundoff error is taken into account.This research was supported in part by the National Research Council of Canada.     

A compact formulation of an elastoplastic analysis problem

Two important problems in the area of engineering plasticity are limit load analysis and elastoplastic analysis. It is well known that these two problems can be formulated as linear and quadratic programming problems, respectively (Refs. 1–2). In applications, the number of variables in each of these mathematical programming problems tends to be large. Consequently, it is important to have efficient numerical methods for their solution. The purpose of this paper is to present a method which allows the quadratic programming formulation of the elastoplastic analysis to be reformulated as an equivalent quadratic programming problem which has significantly fewer variables than the original formulation. Indeed, in Section 4, we will present details of an example for which the original quadratic programming formulation required 297 variables and for which the equivalent formulation presented here required only two variables. The method is based on a characterization of the entire family of optimal solutions for a linear programming problem.This research was supported by the Natural Science and Engineering Council of Canada under Grant No. A8189 and by a Leave Fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The author takes pleasure in acknowledging many stimulating discussions with Professor D. E. Grierson.     

Probability maximization models for portfolio selection under ambiguity

This paper considers several probability maximization models for multi-scenario portfolio selection problems in the case that future returns in possible scenarios are multi-dimensional random variables. In order to consider occurrence probabilities and decision makers’ predictions with respect to all scenarios, a portfolio selection problem setting a weight with flexibility to each scenario is proposed. Furthermore, by introducing aspiration levels to occurrence probabilities or future target profit and maximizing the minimum aspiration level, a robust portfolio selection problem is considered. Since these problems are formulated as stochastic programming problems due to the inclusion of random variables, they are transformed into deterministic equivalent problems introducing chance constraints based on the stochastic programming approach. Then, using a relation between the variance and absolute deviation of random variables, our proposed models are transformed into linear programming problems and efficient solution methods are developed to obtain the global optimal solution. Furthermore, a numerical example of a portfolio selection problem is provided to compare our proposed models with the basic model.     

An extension of the könig-egerváry property to node-weighted bidirected graphs

Given a bidirected graphG and a vectorb of positive integral node-weights, an integer linear program IP is defined on (G, b). IP generalizes the node packing problem on a node-weighted (undirected) graph in the sense that it reduces to the latter whenG is undirected. A polynomial time algorithm is given that recognizes whether CP (the linear program obtained by relaxing the integrality constraints of IP) has an integral optimal solution. Also an efficient method for solving the linear programming dual of CP is described.Supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.     

Measuring the quality of discrete representations of efficient sets in multiple objective mathematical programming

One way of solving multiple objective mathematical programming problems is finding discrete representations of the efficient set. A modified goal of finding good discrete representations of the efficient set would contribute to the practicality of vector maximization algorithms. We define coverage, uniformity and cardinality as the three attributes of quality of discrete representations and introduce a framework that includes these attributes in which discrete representations can be evaluated, compared to each other, and judged satisfactory or unsatisfactory by a Decision Maker. We provide simple mathematical programming formulations that can be used to compute the coverage error of a given discrete representation. Our formulations are practically implementable when the problem under study is a multiobjective linear programming problem. We believe that the interactive algorithms along with the vector maximization methods can make use of our framework and its tools. Received April 7, 1998 / Revised version received March 1999?Published online November 9, 1999     

On the integer-valued variables in the linear vertex packing problem

Given a graph with weights on vertices, the vertex packing problem consists of finding a vertex packing (i.e. a set of vertices, no two of them being adjacent) of maximum weight. A linear relaxation of one binary programming formulation of this problem has these two well-known properties: (i) every basic solution is (0, 1/2, 1)-valued, (ii) in an optimum linear solution, an integer-valued variable keeps the same value in an optimum binary solution.As an answer to an open problem from Nemhauser and Trotter, it is shown that there is a unique maximal set of variables which are integral in optimal (VLP) solutions.This research was supported by National Research Council of Canada GRANT A8528 and RD 804.     

Vector duality for convex vector optimization problems by means of the quasi-interior of the ordering cone

We define weakly minimal elements of a set with respect to a convex cone by means of the quasi-interior of the cone and characterize them via linear scalarization, generalizing the classical weakly minimal elements from the literature. Then we attach to a general vector optimization problem, a dual vector optimization problem with respect to (generalized) weakly efficient solutions and establish new duality results. By considering particular cases of the primal vector optimization problem, we derive vector dual problems with respect to weakly efficient solutions for both constrained and unconstrained vector optimization problems and the corresponding weak, strong and converse duality statements.     

Connectedness of the Efficient Set for Strictly Quasiconcave Sets

Given a closed subset X in , we show the connectedness of its efficient points or nondominated points when X is sequentially strictly quasiconcave. In the particular case of a maximization problem with n continuous and strictly quasiconcave objective functions on a compact convex feasible region of , we deduce the connectedness of the efficient frontier of the problem. This work solves the open problem of the efficient frontier for strictly quasiconcave vector maximization problems.     

Hybrid Approach for Solving Multiple-Objective Linear Programs in Outcome Space

Various difficulties arise in using decision set-based vector maximization methods to solve a multiple-objective linear programming problem (MOLP). Motivated by these difficulties, some researchers in recent years have begun to develop tools for analyzing and solving problem (MOLP) in outcome space, rather than in decision space. In this article, we present and validate a new hybrid vector maximization approach for solving problem (MOLP) in outcome space. The approach systematically integrates a simplicial partitioning technique into an outer approximation procedure to yield an algorithm that generates the set of all efficient extreme points in the outcome set of problem (MOLP) in a finite number of iterations. Some key potential practical and computational advantages of the approach are indicated.     

Efficient solutions in generalized linear vector optimization

This paper establishes several new facts on generalized polyhedral convex sets and shows how they can be used in vector optimization. Among other things, a scalarization formula for the efficient solution sets of generalized linear vector optimization problems is obtained. We also prove that the efficient solution set of a generalized linear vector optimization problem in a locally convex Hausdorff topological vector space is the union of finitely many generalized polyhedral convex sets and it is connected by line segments.     

Further Analysis of an Outcome Set-Based Algorithm for Multiple-Objective Linear Programming

Various difficulties have been encountered in using decision set-based vector maximization methods to solve a multiple-objective linear programming problem (MOLP). Motivated by these difficulties, Benson recently developed a finite, outer-approximation algorithm for generating the set of all efficient extreme points in the outcome set, rather than in the decision set, of problem (MOLP). In this article, we show that the Benson algorithm also generates the set of all weakly efficient points in the outcome set of problem (MOLP). As a result, the usefulness of the algorithm as a decision aid in multiple objective linear programming is further enhanced.     

Minimum node covers and 2-bicritical graphs

The problem of finding a minimum cardinality set of nodes in a graph which meet every edge is of considerable theoretical as well as practical interest. Because of the difficulty of this problem, a linear relaxation of an integer programming model is sometimes used as a heuristic. In fact Nemhauser and Trotter showed that any variables which receive integer values in an optimal solution to the relaxation can retain the same values in an optimal solution to the integer program. We define 2-bicritical graphs and give several characterizations of them. One characterization is that they are precisely the graphs for which an optimal solution to the linear relaxation will have no integer valued variables. Then we show that almost all graphs are 2-bicritical and hence the linear relaxation almost never helps for large random graphs.This research was supported in part by the National Research Council of Canada.     

Nonscalarized multiobjective global optimization

A new approach to multiobjective optimization is presented which is made possible due to our ability to obtain full global optimal solutions. A distinctive feature of this approach is that a vector cost function is nonscalarized. The method provides a means for the solution of vector optimization problems with nonreconcilable objectives.This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Grant No. A3492.     

A strong duality theorem for the minimum of a family of convex programs

We produce a duality theorem for the minimum of an arbitrary family of convex programs. This duality theorem provides a single concave dual maximization and generalizes recent work in linear disjunctive programming. Homogeneous and symmetric formulations are studied in some detail, and a number of convex and nonconvex applications are given.This work was partially funded by National Research Council of Canada, Grant No. A4493. Thanks are due to Mr. B. Toulany for many conversations and to Dr. L. MacLean who suggested the chance-constrained model.     

Efficiency and proper efficiency in vector maximization with respect to cones

Vector maximization problems arise when more than one objective function is to be maximized over a given feasibility region. The concepts of efficiency and proper efficiency have played a useful role in the analysis of such problems. Recently these concepts have been extended to vector maximization problems in which the underlying domination cone is a convex cone. In this paper, efficient and properly efficient solutions for the vector maximization problem in which the underlying domination cone is any nontrivial, closed convex cone are examined. Differences between properly and improperly efficient solutions are established. Characterizations of efficient and properly efficient solutions are presented, and conditions under which efficient solutions exist and fail to exist are derived.     

Optimal scheduling in film production to minimize talent hold cost

The problem of minimizing the cost due to talent hold days in the production of a feature film is considered. A combinatorial model is developed for the sequencing of shooting days in a film shoot. The problem is shown to be strongly NP-hard. A branch-and-bound solution algorithm and a heuristic solution method for large instances of the problem (15 shooting days or more) are developed and implemented on a computer. A number of randomly generated problem instances are solved to study the power and speed of the algorithms. The computational results reveal that the heuristic solution method is effective and efficient in obtaining near-optimal solutions.This research was supported in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada under Grant OPG-0036424. The authors are thankful to two anonymous referees for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper.