Extremal permutations with respect to weak majorizations (Q1815401)

Suppose a system consists of \(n\) components of different working probabilities \(p_1\), \(p_2, \dots, p_n\). The reliability of the system is a function of these probabilities, \(f(p_1,p_2, \dots, p_n)\). When these \(n\) components are exchangeable, what permutation of the components gives an optimal system? The author studies some tools to answer this kind of questions. Some sufficient conditions for several specific permutations to be optimal are presented.