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NP-hardness results for the aggregation of linear orders into median orders

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Abstract

Given a collection Π of individual preferences defined on a same finite set of candidates, we consider the problem of aggregating them into a collective preference minimizing the number of disagreements with respect to Π and verifying some structural properties. We study the complexity of this problem when the individual preferences belong to any set containing linear orders and when the collective preference must verify different properties, for instance transitivity. We show that the considered aggregation problems are NP-hard for different types of collective preferences (including linear orders, acyclic relations, complete preorders, interval orders, semiorders, quasi-orders or weak orders), if the number of individual preferences is sufficiently large.

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  1. École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications, 46, rue Barrault, 75634, Paris cedex 13, France

    Olivier Hudry

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  1. Olivier Hudry
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Correspondence to Olivier Hudry.

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Hudry, O. NP-hardness results for the aggregation of linear orders into median orders. Ann Oper Res 163, 63–88 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-008-0353-y

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