Assignment problems and the location of economic activities

TC Koopmans, M Beckmann - Econometrica: journal of the Econometric …, 1957 - JSTOR
TC Koopmans, M Beckmann
Econometrica: journal of the Econometric Society, 1957JSTOR
Two problems in the allocation of indivisible resources are discussed. Both can be
interpreted as problems of assigning plants to locations. The first problem, in which cost of
transportation between plants is ignored, is found to be a linear programming problem, with
which is associated a system of rents that sustains an optimal assignment. The recognition
of cost of interplant transportation in the second problem introduces complications which call
for more laborious and largely unexplored computations and which also appear to defeat …
Two problems in the allocation of indivisible resources are discussed. Both can be interpreted as problems of assigning plants to locations. The first problem, in which cost of transportation between plants is ignored, is found to be a linear programming problem, with which is associated a system of rents that sustains an optimal assignment. The recognition of cost of interplant transportation in the second problem introduces complications which call for more laborious and largely unexplored computations and which also appear to defeat the price system as a means of sustaining an optimal assignment.
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