A Semiring-based framework for fair resources allocation

Abstract

In this paper a general framework (based on soft constraints) to model and solve the fair allocation problem is proposed. Our formal approach allows to model different allocation problems, ranging from goods and resources allocation to task and chore division. Soft constraints are employed to find a fair solution by respecting the agent’s preferences; indeed these can be modeled in a natural fashion by using the Semiring-based framework for soft constraints. The fairness property is considered following an economical point of view, that is, taking into account the notions of envy-freeness (each player likes its allocation at least as much as those that the other players receive, so it does not envy anybody else) and efficiency (there is no other division better for everybody, or better for some players and not worse for the others).