Variational sets and applications to sensitivity analysis (Q7023405)

The paper develops a rigorous and coherent framework for \textit{first-order variational sets of type 2}, beginning with the establishment of precise \textit{chain and sum rules} for these objects. These results extend existing calculus rules for variational sets by working under weaker assumptions, thereby broadening their applicability in nonsmooth and set-valued analysis. The authors carefully construct the theoretical foundation using Painlevé-Kuratowski convergence and related variational tools, and they clearly demonstrate how type 2 variational sets differ from and improve upon previously studied type 1 counterparts. The presentation of definitions, lemmas, and proofs is systematic and mathematically sound, reflecting a high level of technical rigor.\N\NBuilding on these foundational results, the paper applies variational sets of type 2 to the \textit{sensitivity analysis of variational inequalities}, providing characterizations of the directional behavior of solution mappings under perturbations. This approach is then extended to \textit{parametric set-valued equilibrium problems under weak efficiency}, where new sensitivity results are established within a unified analytical framework. The inclusion of illustrative examples helps clarify the abstract theory and demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed methods. Overall, the paper makes a substantive contribution to variational analysis by linking advanced calculus rules for generalized set-valued objects with meaningful sensitivity results in variational inequalities and equilibrium theory.