The semireactive bargaining set of a cooperative game

The semireactive bargaining set, a solution for cooperative games, is introduced. This solution is in general a subsolution of the bargaining set and a supersolution of the reactive bargaining set. However, on various classes of transferable utility games the semireactive and the reactive bargaining set coincide. The semireactive prebargaining set on TU games can be axiomatized by one-person rationality, the reduced game property, a weak version of the converse reduced game property with respect to subgrand coalitions, and subgrand stability. Furthermore, it is shown that there is a suitable weakening of subgrand stability, which allows to characterize the prebargaining set. Replacing the reduced game by the imputation saving reduced game and employing individual rationality as an additional axiom yields characterizations of both, the bargaining set and the semireactive bargaining set. Received September 2000/Revised version June 2001     

Weakly Convex Sets and Their Properties

In this paper, the notion of a weakly convex set is introduced. Sharp estimates for the weak convexity constants of the sum and difference of such sets are given. It is proved that, in Hilbert space, the smoothness of a set is equivalent to the weak convexity of the set and its complement. Here, by definition, the smoothness of a set means that the field of unit outward normal vectors is defined on the boundary of the set; this vector field satisfies the Lipschitz condition. We obtain the minimax theorem for a class of problems with smooth Lebesgue sets of the goal function and strongly convex constraints. As an application of the results obtained, we prove the alternative theorem for program strategies in a linear differential quality game.     

The bargaining set of four-person balanced games

It is well known that in three-person transferable-utility cooperative games the bargaining set ℳⁱ ₁ and the core coincide for any coalition structure, provided the latter solution is not empty. In contrast, five-person totally-balanced games are discussed in the literature in which the bargaining set ℳⁱ ₁ (for the grand coalition) is larger then the core. This paper answers the equivalence question in the remaining four-person case. We prove that in any four-person game and for arbitrary coalition structure, whenever the core is not empty, it coincides with the bargaining set ℳⁱ ₁. Our discussion employs a generalization of balancedness to games with coalition structures. Received: August 2001/Revised version: April 2002     

Convexity and marginal vectors

In this paper we construct sets of marginal vectors of a TU game with the property that if the marginal vectors from these sets are core elements, then the game is convex. This approach leads to new upperbounds on the number of marginal vectors needed to characterize convexity. Another result is that the relative number of marginals needed to characterize convexity converges to zero. Received: May 2002     

Stability and largeness of core for symmetric games

Largeness of the core is sufficient for stability of the core. In general the necessity is not known. In this paper we answer affirmatively the necessity for symmetric games. We also prove its equivalence to n specified vectors being imputations and also to the convexity of the lower boundary of the set of all acceptable pay-off vectors of the game. In this paper we establish the equivalence of a condition given by Shapley to the newly evolved condition, thereby give an alternate proof to Shapley’s condition. Received: January 1997/final version: March 1999     

Bargaining set theory and stability in coalition governments

Various bargaining set theories are compared as predictors of coalition government portfolio distribution. While the kernel and B₁-bargaining set are known to exist in voting games with side payments, it is argued that the kernel, and thus B₁, are poor predictors. The B₂-bargaining set, a subset of B₁, when it exists is shown to be a good payoff predictor in a fractionalized and depolarized parliamentary situation (Finland: 1945ndash;1971). Moreover this predictor provides some explanation for the formation of surplus (winning but not minimal) coalitions.     

The comparability of the classical and the Mas-Colell bargaining sets

The Mas-Colell bargaining set is shown to contain the classical bargaining set for superadditive NTU games satisfying the nonlevelness condition. Without superadditivity this is no longer true, but in the TU case the containment still holds for the closure of the Mas-Colell bargaining set. Received: April 2000/Revised version: November 2000     

A new approach to the core and Weber set of multichoice games

Multichoice games have been introduced by Hsiao and Raghavan as a generalization of classical cooperative games. An important notion in cooperative game theory is the core of the game, as it contains the rational imputations for players. We propose two definitions for the core of a multichoice game, the first one is called the precore and is a direct generalization of the classical definition. We show that the precore coincides with the definition proposed by Faigle, and that the set of imputations may be unbounded, which makes its application questionable. A second definition is proposed, imposing normalization at each level, causing the core to be a convex compact set. We study its properties, introducing balancedness and marginal worth vectors, and defining the Weber set and the pre-Weber set. We show that the classical properties of inclusion of the (pre)core into the (pre)-Weber set as well as their coincidence in the convex case remain valid. A last section makes a comparison with the core defined by Van den Nouweland et al. A preliminary and short version of this paper has been presented at 4th Logic, Game Theory and Social Choice meeting, Caen, France, June 2005 (Xie and Grabisch 2005).     

Fuzzy extensions of bargaining sets and their existence in cooperative fuzzy games

Recently, the concept of classical bargaining set given by Aumann and Maschler in 1964 has been extended to fuzzy bargaining set. In this paper, we give a modification to correct some weakness of this extension. We also extend the concept of the Mas-Colell's bargaining set (the other major type of bargaining sets) to its corresponding fuzzy bargaining set. Our main effort is to prove existence theorems for these two types of fuzzy bargaining sets. We will also give necessary and sufficient conditions for these bargaining sets to coincide with the Aubin Core in a continuous superadditive cooperative fuzzy game which has a crisp maximal coalition of maximum excess at each payoff vector. We show that both Aumann-Maschler and Mas-Colell fuzzy bargaining sets of a continuous convex cooperative fuzzy game coincide with its Aubin core.     

A note on integral-convexity in Banach spaces

In the present paper we focus on a generalization of the notion of integral convexity. This concept, introduced in [J.Y. Wang, Y.M. Ma, The integral convexity of sets and functionals in Banach spaces, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 295 (2004) 211-224] by replacing, in the definition of classical notion of convexity, the sum by the integral, has interesting applications in optimal control problems. By using, instead of Bochner integral, a more general vector integral, that of Pettis, we obtain some results on integral-extreme points of subsets of a Banach space stronger than those given in [J.Y. Wang, Y.M. Ma, The integral convexity of sets and functionals in Banach spaces, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 295 (2004) 211-224]. Finally, a natural example coming from measure theory is included, in order to reflect the relationships between different kinds of integral convexity.     

A cardinal bargaining set for games without side payments

A bargaining set for games without side payments, based on cardinal considerations is introduced. It is proved that it is never empty for a fairly general class of games without side payments, that it coincides with the classical bargaining set if the game has side payments and that it is a subset of an ordinal bargaining set described inAsscher [1975a].     

Partial convexity

We consider a generalization of the classical notion of convexity, which is calledpartial convexity. LetV ∋ ℝ ⁿ be some set of directions. A setX ∋ ℝ ⁿ is calledV- convex if the intersection of any line parallel to a vector inV withX is connected. Semispaces and the problem of the least intersection base for partial convexity is investigated. The cone of convexity directions is described for a closed set in ℝ ⁿ . Translated fromMatematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 60, No. 3, pp. 406–413, September, 1996. The authors wish to express their gratitude to V. V. Gorokhovik and E. A. Barabanov for useful remarks and discussions. This research was supported in part by the Belorussian Foundation for Basic Research under grant No. F95-016.     

The selectope for cooperative games

The selectope of a cooperative transferable utility game is the convex hull of the payoff vectors obtained by assigning the Harsanyi dividends of the coalitions to members determined by so-called selectors. The selectope is studied from a set-theoretic point of view, as superset of the core and of the Weber set; and from a value-theoretic point of view, as containing weighted Shapley values, random order values, and sharing values. Received May 1997/Revised version September 1999     

Continuously stable strategies,neighborhood superiority and two-player games with continuous strategy space

The continuously stable strategy (CSS) concept, originally developed as an intuitive static condition to predict the dynamic stability of a monomorphic population, is shown to be closely related to classical game-theoretic dominance criteria when applied to continuous strategy spaces. Specifically, for symmetric and non symmetric two-player games, a CSS in the interior of the continuous strategy space is equivalent to neighborhood half-superiority which, for a symmetric game, is connected to the half-dominance and/or risk dominance concepts. For non symmetric games where both players have a one-dimensional continuous strategy space, an interior CSS is shown to be given by a local version of dominance solvability (called neighborhood dominance solvable). Finally, the CSS and half-superiority concepts are applied to points in the bargaining set of Nash bargaining problems. R. Cressman thanks the referee for pointing out further connections between neighborhood superiority and other dominance concepts in the literature. This research was supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Individual Discovery Grant.     

Abstract convexity of extended real-valued ICR functions

The theory of non-negative increasing and co-radiant (ICR) functions defined on ordered topological vector spaces has been well developed. In this article, we present the theory of extended real-valued ICR functions defined on an ordered topological vector space X. We first give a characterization for non-positive ICR functions and examine abstract convexity of this class of functions. We also investigate polar function and subdifferential of these functions. Finally, we characterize abstract convexity, support set and subdifferential of extended real-valued ICR functions.     

Monge extensions of cooperation and communication structures

Cooperation structures without any a priori assumptions on the combinatorial structure of feasible coalitions are studied and a general theory for marginal values, cores and convexity is established. The theory is based on the notion of a Monge extension of a general characteristic function, which is equivalent to the Lovász extension in the special situation of a classical cooperative game. It is shown that convexity of a cooperation structure is tantamount to the equality of the associated core and Weber set. Extending Myerson’s graph model for game theoretic communication, general communication structures are introduced and it is shown that a notion of supermodularity exists for this class that characterizes convexity and properly extends Shapley’s convexity model for classical cooperative games.     

Asymptotic stability and other properties of trajectories and transfer sequences leading to the bargaining sets

The foundation of a dynamic theory for the bargaining sets started withStearns, when he constructed transfer sequences which always converge to appropriate bargaining sets. A continuous analogue was developed byBillera, where sequences where replaced by solutions of systems of differential equations. In this paper we show that the nucleolus is locally asymptotically stable both with respect toStearns' sequences andBillera's solutions if and only if it is an isolated point of the appropriate bargaining set. No other point of the bargaining set can be locally asymptotically stable. Furthermore, it is always stable in these processes. As by-products of the study we derive the results ofBillera andStearns in a different fashion. We also show that along the non-trivial trajectories and sequences, the vector of the excesses of the payoffs, arranged in a non-increasing order, always decreases lexicographically, thus each bargaining set can be viewed as resulting from a certain monotone process operating on the payoff vectors.     

考虑损失厌恶行为与谈判破裂的Rubinstein谈判博弈研究

本文考虑具有损失厌恶行为与破裂风险的Rubinstein谈判博弈。首先构建子博弈完美均衡,并证明子博弈完美均衡的存在性及唯一性。然后分析子博弈完美均衡的性质,结果表明:参与人受益于对手的损失厌恶行为,而因自身具有损失厌恶行为遭受损失;谈判破裂概率对均衡结果的影响取决于贴现因子与参与人的损失厌恶系数;当谈判破裂的概率趋于零时,极限均衡结果收敛于经典的Rubinstein谈判博弈结果。最后建立了与非对称Nash谈判解的关系,其中参与人的议价能力与自身的损失厌恶水平呈负相关性,与对手的损失厌恶水平呈正相关性;参与人的议价能力依赖于谈判破裂概率与出价时间间隔的比值。     

On the bargaining set, kernel and core of superadditive games

We prove that for superadditive games a necessary and sufficient condition for the bargaining set to coincide with the core is that the monotonic cover of the excess game induced by a payoff be balanced for each imputation in the bargaining set. We present some new results obtained by verifying this condition for specific classes of games. For N-zero-monotonic games we show that the same condition required at each kernel element is also necessary and sufficient for the kernel to be contained in the core. We also give examples showing that to maintain these characterizations, the respective assumptions on the games cannot be lifted. Received: March 1998/Revised version: December 1998