CentER

Ruud Hendrickx

Abstract:
Cooperation and allocation are closely linked. Whenever agents can generate profits or cost savings by cooperating, the natural question arises how these benefits of cooperation should be divided among the participating players. This question forms the basis of cooperative game theory.

This thesis deals with various models of cooperation, including games with transferable utility, games with nontransferable utility, bankruptcy situations, communication situations, spillover games and sequencing situations. The focus is on analysing rules for dividing the profits of cooperation. This analysis is performed in terms of properties that one might require of such an allocation mechanism. In addition, properties of the underlying situations and games are studied.