A Value for Graph-Restricted Games with Middlemen on Edges

Abstract

In a cooperative game with a communication structure, a graph describes the communication possibilities of the players, which are represented by the nodes. We introduce a variation of this model by assuming that each edge in the communication graph represents an agent. These agents simply act as intermediaries, but since they are essential for the cooperation and, consequently, for revenue generation, they will claim their share of the profit. We study this new model of games with a communication structure and introduce an allocation rule for these games. The motivation for analyzing this type of problem is based on the construction of a risk index for the different elements of an internal network.