A Model of Multistage Risk-Averse Stochastic Optimization and its Solution by Scenario-Based Decomposition Algorithms

Stochastic optimization models based on risk-averse measures are of essential importance in financial management and business operations. This paper studies new algorithms for a popular class of these models, namely, the mean-deviation models in multistage decision making under uncertainty. It is argued that these types of problems enjoy a scenario-decomposable structure, which could be utilized in an efficient progressive hedging procedure. In case that linkage constraints arise in reformulations of the original problem, a Lagrange progressive hedging algorithm could be utilized to solve the reformulated problem. Convergence results of the algorithms are obtained based on the recent development of the Lagrangian form of stochastic variational inequalities. Numerical results are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.