Skip to main content
Log in

On mean reward variance in semi-Markov processes

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Mathematical Methods of Operations Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As an extension of the discrete-time case, this note investigates the variance of the total cumulative reward for the embedded Markov chain of semi-Markov processes. Under the assumption that the chain is aperiodic and contains a single class of recurrent states recursive formulae for the variance are obtained which show that the variance growth rate is asymptotically linear in time. Expressions are provided to compute this growth rate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Benito F (1982) Calculating the variance in Markov processes with random reward. Trabajos Estadistica Investigacion Operativa 33:73–85

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Filar J, Kallenberg LCM, Lee H-M (1989) Variance penalized Markov decision processes. Math Oper Res 14:147–161

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Huang Y, Kallenberg LCM (1994) On finding optimal policies for Markov decision chains: a unifying framework for mean-variance-tradeoffs. Math Oper Res 19:434–448

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Jaquette SC (1972) Markov decision processes with a new optimality criterion: small interest rates. Ann Math Stat 43:1894–1901

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Jaquette SC (1973) Markov decision processes with a new optimality criterion: discrete time. Ann Statist 1:496–505

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Jaquette SC (1975) Markov decision processes with a new optimality criterion: continuous time. Ann Stat 3:547–553

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Kadota Y (1997) A minimum average-variance in Markov decision processes. Bull Inform Cybern 29:83–89

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Kawai H (1987) A variance minimization problem for a Markov decision process. Eur J Oper Res 31:140–145

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Kurano M (1987) Markov decision processes with a minimum-variance criterion. J Math Anal Appl 123:572–583

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Mandl P (1971) On the variance in controlled Markov chains. Kybernetika 7:1–12

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Puterman ML (1994) Markov decision processes–discrete stochastic dynamic programming. Wiley, New York

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Ross SM (1970) Applied probability models with optimization applications. Holden–Day, San Francisco

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Sladký K, Sitař M (2004) Optimal solutions for undiscounted variance penalized Markov decision chains. In: Marti K, Ermoliev Y, Pflug G. (ed). Dynamic stochastic optimization. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp. 43–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Sobel MJ (1982) The variance of discounted Markov decision processes. J Appl Probab 19:794–802

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Sobel MJ (1985) Maximal mean/standard deviation ratio in an undiscounted MDP. Oper Res Lett 4:157–159

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • White DJ (1988) Mean variance and probability criteria in finite Markov decision processes: a review. J Optim Theory Appl 56:1–29

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karel Sladký.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sladký, K. On mean reward variance in semi-Markov processes. Math Meth Oper Res 62, 387–397 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00186-005-0039-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00186-005-0039-z

Keywords

AMS Subject Classification

Navigation