Decentralized Task Coordination

Jens Gudmundsson, Jens Leth Hougaard, Trine Tornøe Platz

Research output: Working paperResearch

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Abstract

We study decentralized task coordination. Tasks are of varying complexity and agents asymmetric: agents capable of completing high-level tasks may also take on tasks originally contracted by lower-level agents, facilitating system-wide cost reductions. We suggest a family of decentralized two-stage mechanisms in which agents first announce preferred individual workloads and then bargain over the induced joint cost savings. The second-stage negotiations depend on the first-stage announcements as specified through the mechanism's recognition function. We characterize mechanisms that incentivize cost-effective task allocation and further single out a particular mechanism, which additionally ensures a fair distribution of the system-wide cost savings.
Original languageEnglish
PublisherDepartment of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen
Number of pages25
Publication statusPublished - 2020
SeriesIFRO Working Paper
Number2020/11

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