SEQUENCING AND COOPERATION

In machine scheduling the first problem is to find a timetable that is optimal with respect to some efficiency criterion. If the jobs come f rom different clients the solution of the optimization problem is not the end of the story. In addition, we have to decide how the minimal t otal cost must be distributed among the parties involved. In this note , cost allocation problems will be considered to arise from one-machin e scheduling problems with an additive and weakly increasing cost func tion. We will show that the cooperative games related to these cost al location problems have a nonempty core. Furthermore, we give a rule th at assigns a core element of the associated cost saving game to each s cheduling problem of this kind and an initial order of the jobs.