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Optimizing the marriage market: An application of the linear assignment model

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  • Cao, Nguyen Vi
  • Fragnière, Emmanuel
  • Gauthier, Jacques-Antoine
  • Sapin, Marlène
  • Widmer, Eric D.

Abstract

Research shows that the success of marriages and other intimate partnerships depends on objective attributes such as differences in age, cultural background, and educational level. This article proposes a mathematical approach to optimizing marriage by allocating spouses in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of divorce or separation. To produce our optimization model, we use the assumption of a central "agency" that would coordinate the matching of couples. Based on a representative and longitudinal sample of 1074 cohabiting and married couples living in Switzerland, we estimate various objective functions corresponding to age, education, ethnicity, and prior divorce concerning every possible combination of men and women. Our results show that the current state of marriages or partnerships is well below the social optimum. We reallocate approximately 68% of individuals (7 out of 10) to a new couple that we posit has a higher likelihood of survival. From this selection of new partners, we obtain our final "optimal" solutions, with a 21% reduction in the objective function.

Suggested Citation

  • Cao, Nguyen Vi & Fragnière, Emmanuel & Gauthier, Jacques-Antoine & Sapin, Marlène & Widmer, Eric D., 2010. "Optimizing the marriage market: An application of the linear assignment model," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 202(2), pages 547-553, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:202:y:2010:i:2:p:547-553
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Irvin J. Lustig & Jean-François Puget, 2001. "Program Does Not Equal Program: Constraint Programming and Its Relationship to Mathematical Programming," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 31(6), pages 29-53, December.
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    3. Cao, Nguyen Vi & Fragniere, Emmanuel, 2014. "A Service Production Planning Model Integrating Human Risk Factors," Chapters from the Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), in: Kersten, Wolfgang & Blecker, Thorsten & Ringle, Christian M. (ed.), Next Generation Supply Chains: Trends and Opportunities. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), Vol. 18, volume 18, pages 345-359, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute of Business Logistics and General Management.
    4. Biró, Péter & Gyetvai, Márton, 2023. "Online voluntary mentoring: Optimising the assignment of students and mentors," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 307(1), pages 392-405.
    5. Ágoston, Kolos Csaba & Biró, Péter & Kováts, Endre & Jankó, Zsuzsanna, 2022. "College admissions with ties and common quotas: Integer programming approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 299(2), pages 722-734.
    6. Claudiu Herteliu & Ionel Jianu & Iulia Jianu & Vasile Catalin Bobb & Gurjeet Dhesi & Sebastian Ion Ceptureanu & Eduard Gabriel Ceptureanu & Marcel Ausloos, 2021. "Money’s importance from the religious perspective," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 299(1), pages 375-399, April.

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