Preface
In recent years there is a growing interest in generalized convex func-
tions and generalized monotone mappings among the researchers of ap-
plied mathematics and other sciences. This is due to the fact that
mathematical models with these functions are more suitable to describe
problems of the real world than models using conventional convex and
monotone functions. Generalized convexity and monotonicity are now
considered as an independent branch of applied mathematics with a wide
range of applications in mechanics, economics, engineering, finance and
many others.
The present volume contains 20 full length papers which reflect cur-
rent theoretical studies of generalized convexity and monotonicity, and
numerous applications in optimization, variational inequalities, equilib-
rium problems etc. All these papers were refereed and carefully selected
from invited talks and contributed talks that were presented at the 7th
International Symposium on Generalized Convexity/Monotonicity held
in Hanoi, Vietnam, August 27-31, 2002. This series of Symposia is orga-
nized by the Working Group on Generalized Convexity (WGGC) every
3 years and aims to promote and disseminate research on the field. The
WGGC (http://www.genconv.org) consists of more than 300 researchers
coming from 36
countries.
Taking this opportunity, we want to thank all speakers whose contri-
butions make up this volume, all referees whose cooperation helped in en-
suring the scientific quality of the papers, and all people from the Hanoi
Institute of Mathematics whose assistance was indispensable in running
the symposium. Our special thanks go to the Vietnam Academy of
Sciences and Technology, the Vietnam National Basic Research Project
“Selected problems of optimization and scientific computing” and the
Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics at Trieste,
Italy, for their generous support which made the meeting possible. Fi-
nally, we express our appreciation to Kluwer Academic Publishers for
including this volume into their series. We hope that the volume will