This book provides an introduction to vector optimization with variable ordering structures, i.e., to optimization problems with a vector-valued objective function where the elements in the objective space are compared based on a variable ordering structure: instead of a partial ordering defined by a convex cone, we see a whole family of convex cones, one attached to each element of the objective space. The book starts by presenting several applications that have recently sparked new interest in these optimization problems, and goes on to discuss fundamentals and important results on a wide range of topics. The theory developed includes various optimality notions, linear and nonlinear scalarization functionals, optimality conditions of Fermat and Lagrange type, existence and duality results. The book closes with a collection of numerical approaches for solving these problems in practice.

In many areas in engineering, economics and science new developments are only possible by the application of modern optimization methods. Theoptimizationproblemsarisingnowadaysinapplicationsaremostly multiobjective, i.e. many competing objectives are aspired all at once. These optimization problems with a vector-valued objective function have in opposition to scalar-valued problems generally not only one minimal solution but the solution set is very large. Thus the devel- ment of e?cient numerical methods for special classes of multiobj- tive optimization problems is, due to the complexity of the solution set, of special interest. This relevance is pointed out in many recent publications in application areas such as medicine ([63, 118, 100, 143]), engineering([112,126,133,211,224],referencesin[81]),environmental decision making ([137, 227]) or economics ([57, 65, 217, 234]). Consideringmultiobjectiveoptimizationproblemsdemands?rstthe de?nition of minimality for such problems. A ?rst minimality notion traces back to Edgeworth [59], 1881, and Pareto [180], 1896, using the naturalorderingintheimagespace.A?rstmathematicalconsideration ofthistopicwasdonebyKuhnandTucker[144]in1951.Sincethattime multiobjective optimization became an active research ? eld. Several books and survey papers have been published giving introductions to this topic, for instance [28, 60, 66, 76, 112, 124, 165, 188, 189, 190, 215]. Inthelastdecadesthemainfocuswasonthedevelopmentofinteractive methods for determining one single solution in an iterative process.

This book provides an introduction to vector optimization with variable ordering structures, i.e., to optimization problems with a vector-valued objective function where the elements in the objective space are compared based on a variable ordering structure: instead of a partial ordering defined by a convex cone, we see a whole family of convex cones, one attached to each element of the objective space. The book starts by presenting several applications that have recently sparked new interest in these optimization problems, and goes on to discuss fundamentals and important results on a wide range of topics. The theory developed includes various optimality notions, linear and nonlinear scalarization functionals, optimality conditions of Fermat and Lagrange type, existence and duality results. The book closes with a collection of numerical approaches for solving these problems in practice.

In many areas in engineering, economics and science new developments are only possible by the application of modern optimization methods. Theoptimizationproblemsarisingnowadaysinapplicationsaremostly multiobjective, i.e. many competing objectives are aspired all at once. These optimization problems with a vector-valued objective function have in opposition to scalar-valued problems generally not only one minimal solution but the solution set is very large. Thus the devel- ment of e?cient numerical methods for special classes of multiobj- tive optimization problems is, due to the complexity of the solution set, of special interest. This relevance is pointed out in many recent publications in application areas such as medicine ([63, 118, 100, 143]), engineering([112,126,133,211,224],referencesin[81]),environmental decision making ([137, 227]) or economics ([57, 65, 217, 234]). Consideringmultiobjectiveoptimizationproblemsdemands?rstthe de?nition of minimality for such problems. A ?rst minimality notion traces back to Edgeworth [59], 1881, and Pareto [180], 1896, using the naturalorderingintheimagespace.A?rstmathematicalconsideration ofthistopicwasdonebyKuhnandTucker[144]in1951.Sincethattime multiobjective optimization became an active research ? eld. Several books and survey papers have been published giving introductions to this topic, for instance [28, 60, 66, 76, 112, 124, 165, 188, 189, 190, 215]. Inthelastdecadesthemainfocuswasonthedevelopmentofinteractive methods for determining one single solution in an iterative process.