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Controlled Markov chains with risk-sensitive criteria: Average cost, optimality equations, and optimal solutions

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  • Rolando Cavazos-Cadena
  • Emmanuel Fernández-Gaucherand

Abstract

We study controlled Markov chains with denumerable state space and bounded costs per stage. A (long-run) risk-sensitive average cost criterion, associated to an exponential utility function with a constant risk sensitivity coefficient, is used as a performance measure. The main assumption on the probabilistic structure of the model is that the transition law satisfies a simultaneous Doeblin condition. Working within this framework, the main results obtained can be summarized as follows: If the constant risk-sensitivity coefficient is small enough, then an associated optimality equation has a bounded solution with a constant value for the optimal risk-sensitive average cost; in addition, under further standard continuity-compactness assumptions, optimal stationary policies are obtained. However, it is also shown that the above conclusions fail to hold, in general, for large enough values of the risk-sensitivity coefficient. Our results therefore disprove previous claims on this topic. Also of importance is the fact that our developments are very much self-contained and employ only basic probabilistic and analysis principles. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999

Suggested Citation

  • Rolando Cavazos-Cadena & Emmanuel Fernández-Gaucherand, 1999. "Controlled Markov chains with risk-sensitive criteria: Average cost, optimality equations, and optimal solutions," Mathematical Methods of Operations Research, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research (GOR);Nederlands Genootschap voor Besliskunde (NGB), vol. 49(2), pages 299-324, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:mathme:v:49:y:1999:i:2:p:299-324
    DOI: 10.1007/PL00020919
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Rolando Cavazos-Cadena, 2010. "Optimality equations and inequalities in a class of risk-sensitive average cost Markov decision chains," Mathematical Methods of Operations Research, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research (GOR);Nederlands Genootschap voor Besliskunde (NGB), vol. 71(1), pages 47-84, February.
    2. Gustavo Portillo-Ramírez & Rolando Cavazos-Cadena & Hugo Cruz-Suárez, 2023. "Contractive approximations in average Markov decision chains driven by a risk-seeking controller," Mathematical Methods of Operations Research, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research (GOR);Nederlands Genootschap voor Besliskunde (NGB), vol. 98(1), pages 75-91, August.
    3. V. S. Borkar & S. P. Meyn, 2002. "Risk-Sensitive Optimal Control for Markov Decision Processes with Monotone Cost," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 27(1), pages 192-209, February.
    4. Daniel Hernández Hernández & Diego Hernández Bustos, 2017. "Local Poisson Equations Associated with Discrete-Time Markov Control Processes," Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 1-29, April.
    5. Karel Sladký, 2013. "Risk-Sensitive and Mean Variance Optimality in Markov Decision Processes," Czech Economic Review, Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies, vol. 7(3), pages 146-161, November.
    6. Rolando Cavazos-Cadena & Daniel Hernández-Hernández, 2011. "Discounted Approximations for Risk-Sensitive Average Criteria in Markov Decision Chains with Finite State Space," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 36(1), pages 133-146, February.
    7. Selene Chávez-Rodríguez & Rolando Cavazos-Cadena & Hugo Cruz-Suárez, 2016. "Controlled Semi-Markov Chains with Risk-Sensitive Average Cost Criterion," Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, Springer, vol. 170(2), pages 670-686, August.
    8. Arnab Basu & Mrinal K. Ghosh, 2018. "Nonzero-Sum Risk-Sensitive Stochastic Games on a Countable State Space," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 43(2), pages 516-532, May.
    9. Basu, Arnab & Ghosh, Mrinal Kanti, 2014. "Zero-sum risk-sensitive stochastic games on a countable state space," Stochastic Processes and their Applications, Elsevier, vol. 124(1), pages 961-983.
    10. Ghosh, Mrinal K. & Golui, Subrata & Pal, Chandan & Pradhan, Somnath, 2023. "Discrete-time zero-sum games for Markov chains with risk-sensitive average cost criterion," Stochastic Processes and their Applications, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 40-74.
    11. Selene Chávez-Rodríguez & Rolando Cavazos-Cadena & Hugo Cruz-Suárez, 2015. "Continuity of the optimal average cost in Markov decision chains with small risk-sensitivity," Mathematical Methods of Operations Research, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research (GOR);Nederlands Genootschap voor Besliskunde (NGB), vol. 81(3), pages 269-298, June.
    12. Rolando Cavazos-Cadena, 2009. "Solutions of the average cost optimality equation for finite Markov decision chains: risk-sensitive and risk-neutral criteria," Mathematical Methods of Operations Research, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research (GOR);Nederlands Genootschap voor Besliskunde (NGB), vol. 70(3), pages 541-566, December.
    13. Jaśkiewicz, Anna & Nowak, Andrzej S., 2014. "Stationary Markov perfect equilibria in risk sensitive stochastic overlapping generations models," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 411-447.
    14. Özlem Çavuş & Andrzej Ruszczyński, 2014. "Computational Methods for Risk-Averse Undiscounted Transient Markov Models," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 62(2), pages 401-417, April.
    15. Rolando Cavazos-Cadena & Raúl Montes-de-Oca, 2003. "The Value Iteration Algorithm in Risk-Sensitive Average Markov Decision Chains with Finite State Space," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 28(4), pages 752-776, November.

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