This paper compares the performance of the Howard (1960) policy iteration algorithm for infinite-horizon continuous-state Markovian decision processes (MDP's) using alternative random, quasi- random, and deterministic discretizations of the state space, or grids. Each grid corresponds to an...

We consider the problem of computing approximations to fixed points of quasilinear contraction mappings defined on the space of continuous functions of $d$ variables. Our main emphasis is on large d. Examples of such mappings include the Bellman operator from the theory of dynamic programming....

This essay is a response to a growing negative literature that suggests that neoclassical economic theories based on hypotheses of rationality and equilibrium are of limited practical relevance because they require an infeasibly large number of calculations. Many of the negative results are...

This paper introduces random versions of successive approximations and multigrid algorithms for computing approximate solutions to a class of finite and infinite horizon Markovian decision problems (MDPs). We prove that these algorithms succeed in breaking the curse of dimensionality for a...

This paper shows the characteristics of the macroeconomic Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) of Tunisia in 1996. It is established that the SAM is one of the data bases of the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Models. These last years, the researchers have intensified the use of the SAM within...

TAC-02 was the third in a series of Trading Agent Competition events fostering research in automating trading strategies by showcasing alternate approaches in an open-invitation market game. TAC presents a challenging travel-shopping scenario where agents must satisfy client preferences for...

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a frontier model for productivity measurement that explicitly recognizes that some inputs are produced and consumed within the production technology. Here we differ from Koopmans (1951) by assuming that the intermediate inputs may also be final output....

We provide computer codes in ANSI-C and Python for a fast and accurate computation of the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of the standard normal distribution and the inverse cdf of the same function. For the cdf we use the 5th order Gauss-Legendre quadrature which gives more accurate...

This paper presents a procedure for clustering analysis that combines Kohone’s Self organizing Feature Map (SOFM) and statistical schemes. The idea is to cluster the data in two stages: run SOFM and then minimize the segmentation dispersion. The advantages of proposed procedure will be...

The WALRAS algorithm calculates competitive equilibria via a distributed tatonnement-like process, in which agents submit single-good demand functions to market-clearing auctions. The algorithm is asynchronous and decentralized with respect to both agents and markets, making it suitable for...