Agent preferences and the topology of networks.

In this paper, a different framework to study weighed networks is introduced. The idea behind this methodology is to consider that each node of the network is an agent that desires to satisfy his/her preferences in an economic sense. Moreover, the formation of a link between two agents depends on the benefits and costs associated with this link. Therefore, an edge between two given nodes will arise only if the tradeoff between satisfaction and cost for building it is jointly positive. Using a computational framework, I intend to show that depending on the agents' combination of benefits and costs, some very well known networks can naturally arise.

[1]  Massimo Marchiori,et al.  Economic small-world behavior in weighted networks , 2003 .

[2]  Laurence A. Wolsey,et al.  Solving Mixed Integer Programming Problems Using Automatic Reformulation , 1987, Oper. Res..

[3]  H. Wiener.  Structural determination of paraffin boiling points. , 1947, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[4]  M. Jackson,et al.  A Strategic Model of Social and Economic Networks , 1996 .

[5]  Albert-László Barabási,et al.  Statistical mechanics of complex networks , 2001, ArXiv.

[6]  Albert,et al.  Emergence of scaling in random networks , 1999, Science.

[7]  Michael M. Kostreva,et al.  Solving 0-1 Integer Programming Problems Arising from Large Scale Planning Models , 1985, Oper. Res..

[8]  V Latora,et al.  Efficient behavior of small-world networks. , 2001, Physical review letters.

[9]  Ellis L. Johnson,et al.  Solving Large-Scale Zero-One Linear Programming Problems , 1983, Oper. Res..

[10]  E. Balas.  An Additive Algorithm for Solving Linear Programs with Zero-One Variables , 1965 .

[11]  Alessandro Marani,et al.  Fractal Structures as Least Energy Patterns - the Case of River Networks , 1992 .

[12]  David E. Goldberg,et al.  Genetic Algorithms in Search Optimization and Machine Learning , 1988 .

[13]  A. Barabasi,et al.  Weighted evolving networks. , 2001, Physical review letters.

[14]  R Pastor-Satorras,et al.  Dynamical and correlation properties of the internet. , 2001, Physical review letters.

[15]  Alessandro Vespignani,et al.  Characterization and modeling of weighted networks , 2005 .

[16]  Duncan J. Watts,et al.  Collective dynamics of ‘small-world’ networks , 1998, Nature.

[17]  Jie Wu,et al.  Small Worlds: The Dynamics of Networks between Order and Randomness , 2003 .

[18]  S Redner,et al.  Degree distributions of growing networks. , 2001, Physical review letters.

[19]  D. E. Goldberg,et al.  Genetic Algorithms in Search , 1989 .

[20]  Frederick S. Hillier,et al.  Introduction of Operations Research , 1967 .