Robust stochastic dominance and its application to risk-averse optimization

We introduce a new preference relation in the space of random variables, which we call robust stochastic dominance. We consider stochastic optimization problems where risk-aversion is expressed by a robust stochastic dominance constraint. These are composite semi-infinite optimization problems with constraints on compositions of measures of risk and utility functions. We develop necessary and sufficient conditions of optimality for such optimization problems in the convex case. In the nonconvex case, we derive necessary conditions of optimality under additional smoothness assumptions of some mappings involved in the problem.     

Multivariate robust second-order stochastic dominance and resulting risk-averse optimization

ABSTRACT

By utilizing a min-biaffine scalarization function, we define the multivariate robust second-order stochastic dominance relationship to flexibly compare two random vectors. We discuss the basic properties of the multivariate robust second-order stochastic dominance and relate it to the nonpositiveness of a functional which is continuous and subdifferentiable everywhere. We study a stochastic optimization problem with multivariate robust second-order stochastic dominance constraints and develop the necessary and sufficient conditions of optimality in the convex case. After specifying an ambiguity set based on moments information, we approximate the ambiguity set by a series of sets consisting of discrete distributions. Furthermore, we design a convex approximation to the proposed stochastic optimization problem with multivariate robust second-order stochastic dominance constraints and establish its qualitative stability under Kantorovich metric and pseudo metric, respectively. All these results lay a theoretical foundation for the modelling and solution of complex stochastic decision-making problems with multivariate robust second-order stochastic dominance constraints.     

First and Second Order Necessary Conditions for Stochastic Optimal Control Problems

In this work we consider a stochastic optimal control problem with either convex control constraints or finitely many equality and inequality constraints over the final state. Using the variational approach, we are able to obtain first and second order expansions for the state and cost function, around a local minimum. This fact allows us to prove general first order necessary condition and, under a geometrical assumption over the constraint set, second order necessary conditions are also established. We end by giving second order optimality conditions for problems with constraints on expectations of the final state.     

Second-Order Optimality Conditions for Strict Efficiency of Constrained Set-Valued Optimization

In this paper, we propose several second-order derivatives for set-valued maps and discuss their properties. By using these derivatives, we obtain second-order necessary optimality conditions for strict efficiency of a set-valued optimization problem with inclusion constraints in real normed spaces. We also establish second-order sufficient optimality conditions for strict efficiency of the set-valued optimization problem in finite-dimensional normed spaces. As applications, we investigate second-order sufficient and necessary optimality conditions for a strict local efficient solution of order two of a nonsmooth vector optimization problem with an abstract set and a functional constraint.     

Modeling Stochastic Dominance as Infinite-Dimensional Constraint Systems via the Strassen Theorem

We use the Strassen theorem to solve stochastic optimization problems with stochastic dominance constraints. First, we show that a dominance-constrained problem on general probability spaces can be expressed as an infinite-dimensional optimization problem with a convenient representation of the dominance constraints provided by the Strassen theorem. This result generalizes earlier work which was limited to finite probability spaces. Second, we derive optimality conditions and a duality theory to gain insight into this optimization problem. Finally, we present a computational scheme for constructing finite approximations along with a convergence rate analysis on the approximation quality.     

Generalized Constraint Qualifications and Optimality Conditions for Set-Valued Optimization Problems

In this paper we discuss the connections of four generalized constraint qualifications for set-valued vector optimization problems with constraints. Then some K-T type necessary and sufficient optimality conditions are derived, in terms of the contingent epiderivatives.     

When the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker Theorem Fails: Constraint Qualifications and Higher-Order Optimality Conditions for Degenerate Optimization Problems

In this paper, we present higher-order analysis of necessary and sufficient optimality conditions for problems with inequality constraints. The paper addresses the case when the constraints are not assumed to be regular at a solution of the optimization problems. In the first two theorems derived in the paper, we show how Karush–Kuhn–Tucker necessary conditions reduce to a specific form containing the objective function only. Then we present optimality conditions of the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker type in Banach spaces under new regularity assumptions. After that, we analyze problems for which the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker form of optimality conditions does not hold and propose necessary and sufficient conditions for those problems. To formulate the optimality conditions, we introduce constraint qualifications for new classes of nonregular nonlinear optimization. The approach of p-regularity used in the paper can be applied to various degenerate nonlinear optimization problems due to its flexibility and generality.     

Inverse stochastic dominance constraints and rank dependent expected utility theory

We consider optimization problems with second order stochastic dominance constraints formulated as a relation of Lorenz curves. We characterize the relation in terms of rank dependent utility functions, which generalize Yaari's utility functions. We develop optimality conditions and duality theory for problems with Lorenz dominance constraints. We prove that Lagrange multipliers associated with these constraints can be identified with rank dependent utility functions. The problem is numerically tractable in the case of discrete distributions with equally probable realizations. Research supported by the NSF awards DMS-0303545, DMS-0303728, DMI-0354500 and DMI-0354678.     

Stochastic approximation algorithm for minimax problems

A stochastic approximation algorithm for minimax optimization problems is analyzed. At each iterate, it performs one random experiment, based on which it computes a direction vector. It is shown that, under suitable conditions, it a.s. converges to the set of points satisfying necessary optimality conditions. The algorithm and its analysis bring together ideas from stochastic approximation and nondifferentiable optimization.     

On First Order Optimality Conditions for Vector Optimization

We develop first order optimality conditions for constrained vector optimization. The partial orders for the objective and the constraints are induced by closed and convex cones with nonempty interior. After presenting some well known existence results for these problems, based on a scalarization approach, we establish necessity of the optimality conditions under a Slater-like constraint qualification, and then sufficiency for the K-convex case. We present two alternative sets of optimality conditions, with the same properties in connection with necessity and sufficiency, but which are different with respect to the dimension of the spaces to which the dual multipliers belong. We introduce a duality scheme, with a point-to-set dual objective, for which strong duality holds. Some examples and open problems for future research are also presented,     

Lagrange multiplier necessary conditions for global optimality for non-convex minimization over a quadratic constraint via S-lemma

In this paper, we present Lagrange multiplier necessary conditions for global optimality that apply to non-convex optimization problems beyond quadratic optimization problems subject to a single quadratic constraint. In particular, we show that our optimality conditions apply to problems where the objective function is the difference of quadratic and convex functions over a quadratic constraint, and to certain class of fractional programming problems. Our necessary conditions become necessary and sufficient conditions for global optimality for quadratic minimization subject to quadratic constraint. As an application, we also obtain global optimality conditions for a class of trust-region problems. Our approach makes use of outer-estimators, and the powerful S-lemma which has played key role in control theory and semidefinite optimization. We discuss numerical examples to illustrate the significance of our optimality conditions. The authors are grateful to the referees for their useful comments which have contributed to the final preparation of the paper.     

Optimality conditions for the Henig efficient solution of vector equilibrium problems with constraints

The purpose of this paper is to establish optimality conditions for vector equilibrium problems with constraints. By using the separation of convex sets, we obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions for the Henig efficient solution and the superefficient solution to the vector equilibrium problem with constraints. As applications of our results, we derive some optimality conditions to the vector variational inequality problem and the vector optimization problem with constraints.     

一类带概率互补约束的随机优化问题的最优性条件

主要讨论了一类带概率互补约束的随机优化问题的最优性条件.首先利用一类非线性互补(NCP)函数将概率互补约束转化成为一个通常的概率约束.然后,利用概率约束的相关理论结果,将其等价地转化成一个带不等式约束的优化问题.最后给出了这类问题的弱驻点和最优解的最优性条件.     

Investigation of regularity conditions in optimal control problems with geometric mixed constraints

We investigate regularity conditions in optimal control problems with mixed constraints of a general geometric type, in which a closed non-convex constraint set appears. A closely related question to this issue concerns the derivation of necessary optimality conditions under some regularity conditions on the constraints. By imposing strong and weak regularity condition on the constraints, we provide necessary optimality conditions in the form of Pontryagin maximum principle for the control problem with mixed constraints. The optimality conditions obtained here turn out to be more general than earlier results even in the case when the constraint set is convex. The proofs of our main results are based on a series of technical lemmas which are gathered in the Appendix.     

First order optimality conditions for mathematical programs with semidefinite cone complementarity constraints

In this paper we consider a mathematical program with semidefinite cone complementarity constraints (SDCMPCC). Such a problem is a matrix analogue of the mathematical program with (vector) complementarity constraints (MPCC) and includes MPCC as a special case. We first derive explicit formulas for the proximal and limiting normal cone of the graph of the normal cone to the positive semidefinite cone. Using these formulas and classical nonsmooth first order necessary optimality conditions we derive explicit expressions for the strong-, Mordukhovich- and Clarke- (S-, M- and C-)stationary conditions. Moreover we give constraint qualifications under which a local solution of SDCMPCC is a S-, M- and C-stationary point. Moreover we show that applying these results to MPCC produces new and weaker necessary optimality conditions.     

Optimality Conditions for Vector Equilibrium Problems in Terms of Contingent Epiderivatives

In this article, we study some important properties of contingent epiderivatives concerning steady functions and a cone with a compact base along with its applications to establish necessary and sufficient optimality conditions for weakly efficient, Henig efficient, globally efficient and superefficient solutions for no constraints and constraints (it concludes cone constraint, equality constraint and a constraint set) vector equilibrium problems in terms of contingent epiderivatives. We also give some examples to illustrate obtained results.     

On M-stationary points for mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints

Mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints are optimization problems which violate most of the standard constraint qualifications. Hence the usual Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions cannot be viewed as first order optimality conditions unless relatively strong assumptions are satisfied. This observation has lead to a number of weaker first order conditions, with M-stationarity being the strongest among these weaker conditions. Here we show that M-stationarity is a first order optimality condition under a very weak Abadie-type constraint qualification. Our approach is inspired by the methodology employed by Jane Ye, who proved the same result using results from optimization problems with variational inequality constraints. In the course of our investigation, several concepts are translated to an MPEC setting, yielding in particular a very strong exact penalization result.     

Necessary Optimality Conditions for Optimal Control Problems with Nonsmooth Mixed State and Control Constraints

In this paper we study an optimal control problem with nonsmooth mixed state and control constraints. In most of the existing results, the necessary optimality condition for optimal control problems with mixed state and control constraints are derived under the Mangasarian-Fromovitz condition and under the assumption that the state and control constraint functions are smooth. In this paper we derive necessary optimality conditions for problems with nonsmooth mixed state and control constraints under constraint qualifications based on pseudo-Lipschitz continuity and calmness of certain set-valued maps. The necessary conditions are stratified, in the sense that they are asserted on precisely the domain upon which the hypotheses (and the optimality) are assumed to hold. Moreover necessary optimality conditions with an Euler inclusion taking an explicit multiplier form are derived for certain cases.     

Nonsmooth multiobjective programming: strong Kuhn–Tucker conditions

We consider a multiobjective optimization problem with a feasible set defined by inequality and equality constraints and a set constraint, where the objective and constraint functions are locally Lipschitz. Several constraint qualifications are given in such a way that they generalize the classical ones, when the functions are differentiable. The relationships between them are analyzed. Then, we establish strong Kuhn–Tucker necessary optimality conditions in terms of the Clarke subdifferentials such that the multipliers of the objective function are all positive. Furthermore, sufficient optimality conditions under generalized convexity assumptions are derived. Moreover, the concept of efficiency is used to formulate duality for nonsmooth multiobjective problems. Wolf and Mond–Weir type dual problems are formulated. We also establish the weak and strong duality theorems.