This paper develops tools for analyzing properties of stochastic objective functions which take the form (formula). The paper analyzes the relationship between properties of the primitive functions, such as utility functions u and probability distributions F, and properties of the stochastic...

We model the teacher-student relationship as an agency problem, where teachers are concerned with human capital formation and students --- ability signaling. The model's distinctive feature is that with grading rules unobservable for the job market the teacher finds grades costless incentives....

Maximizing the expected logarithmic utility, or equivalently the geometric mean, of a portfolio is a well-known yet controversially discussed objective. Nonetheless, it is an often used objective function for computing real-world portfolios and in particular it met a great amount of sympathy in...

In this paper we suggest a new efficient technique for solving integer knapsack problems. Our algorithms can be seen as application of Fast Fourier Transform to generating functions of integer polytopes. Using this approach, it is possible to count the number of boolean solutions of a single...

We apply duality methods of linear and convex programming to the problems of operation and rental valuation of facilities for conversion and storage of cyclically priced goods, e.g. , energy. Both problems are approached by shadow-pricing the stock (which is a purely intermediate commodity); and...

Duality methods of linear and convex programming are applied to impute definite marginal values to the fixed inputs of a hydroelectric plant from the operating profit. Our earlier analysis of pumped storage (of energy and other cyclically priced goods) is thus extended to valuation of an...

We explore reinforcement learning methods for finding the optimal policy in the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) problem. In particular we consider the convergence of policy gradient methods in the setting of known and unknown parameters. We are able to produce a global linear convergence...

We study the problem of determining memberships to the groups in a Boolean algebra. The Boolean algebra is composed of basic groups (e.g., “J” and “K”) and the other groups that are derived from basic groups through the conjunction, disjunction, or negation operations (e.g., “J and...

A weighted game or a threshold function in general admits different weighted representations even if the sum of non-negative weights is fixed to one. Here we study bounds for the diameter of the corresponding weight polytope. It turns out that the diameter can be upper bounded in terms of the...

Although evidence accrues in biology, anthropology and experimental economics that homo sapiens is a cooperative species, the reigning assumption in economic theory is that individuals optimize in an autarkic manner (as in Nash and Walrasian equilibrium). I here postulate a cooperative kind of...