• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: Mathematical Programming and Economic Theory
  • Contributor: Scarf, Herbert E.
  • Published: Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), 1990
  • Published in: Operations Research, 38 (1990) 3, Seite 377-385
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1287/opre.38.3.377
  • ISSN: 0030-364X; 1526-5463
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: <jats:p> This paper, which is based on the remarks offered during a plenary address at the May 1989 CORS/TIMS/ORSA meeting in Vancouver, discusses the analogy between economic institutions and algorithms for solving mathematical programming problems. The simplex method for solving linear programs can be interpreted as a search for market prices that equilibrate the demand for factors of production with their supply. A possible interpretation in terms of the internal organization of a large firm is offered for Lenstra's integer programming algorithm. </jats:p>