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Replacement process decomposition for discounted Markov renewal programming

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Abstract

An iterative decomposition method is presented for computing the values in an infinite-horizon discounted Markov renewal program (DMRP). The states are partitioned intoM groups, with each iteration involving disaggregation of one group at a time, with the otherM−1 groups being collapsed intoM−1 singletons using the replacement process method. Each disaggregation also looks like a DMRP and can be performed by policy-iteration, value-iteration or linear programming. Anticipated benefits from the method include reduced computer time and memory requirements, scale-invariance and greater robustness to the starting point.

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Schweitzer, P.J., Sumita, U. & Ohno, K. Replacement process decomposition for discounted Markov renewal programming. Ann Oper Res 29, 631–645 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02283617

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