Core many-to-one matchings by fixed-point methods (Q1876659)

The paper deals with the many-to-one matchings that are in the core. The core of many-to-one matchings are characterized as fixed points of a certain map. Such a characterization gives an algorithm for finding core allocations; the algorithm is efficient and simple to implement. This characterization of core many-to-one matchings does not require substitutable preferences, so it is separate from the structure needed for the non-emptiness of the core. In the case when preferences are substitutable, the characterization gives a simple proof of the lattice structure of core matchings. Also it gives an algorithm for computing the join and meet of two core matchings. The algorithm is illustrated by an example.