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Title: An algorithm for stochastic convex-concave fractional programs with applications to production efficiency and equitable resource allocation
We propose an algorithm to solve convex and concave fractional programs and their stochastic counterparts in a common framework. Our approach is based on a novel reformulation that involves differences of square terms in the constraints, and subsequent employment of piecewise-linear approximations of the concave terms. Using the branch-and-bound (B\&B) framework, our algorithm adaptively refines the piecewise-linear approximations and iteratively solves convex approximation problems. The convergence analysis provides a bound on the optimality gap as a function of approximation errors. Based on this bound, we prove that the proposed B\&B algorithm terminates in a finite number of iterations and the worst-case bound to obtain an $\epsilon$-optimal solution reciprocally depends on the square root of $\epsilon$. Numerical experiments on Cobb-Douglas production efficiency and equitable resource allocation problems support that the algorithm efficiently finds a highly accurate solution while significantly outperforming the benchmark algorithms for all the small size problem instances solved. A modified branching strategy that takes the advantage of non-linearity in convex functions further improves the performance. Results are also discussed when solving a dual reformulation and using a cutting surface algorithm to solve distributionally robust counterpart of the Cobb-Douglas example models.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1763035
NSF-PAR ID:
10488929
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Elsevier
Date Published:
Journal Name:
European Journal of Operational Research
ISSN:
0377-2217
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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