A simplified and unified generalization of some majorization results

Abstract

We consider positive, integral-preserving linear operators acting on $L^1$ space, known as stochastic operators or Markov operators. We show that, on finite-dimensional spaces, any stochastic operator can be approximated by a sequence of stochastic integral operators (such operators arise naturally when considering matrix majorization in $L^1$). We collect a number of results for vector-valued functions on $L^1$, simplifying some proofs found in the literature. In particular, matrix majorization and multivariate majorization are related in $\mathbb{R}^n$. In $\mathbb{R}$, these are also equivalent to convex function inequalities.