Sequential Stability of the Value Function and the Solution Mapping in Berge's Maximum Theorem via Variational Convergence

Abstract

Berge's maximum theorem ensures the continuity of the value function and the upper semicontinuity of the solution mapping in parametric optimization problems. This theorem plays a central role in optimization theory, game theory, and dynamic programming. Motivated by the inherent inaccuracies in optimization data, this paper investigates the stability of such problems under sequential perturbations of both the objective function and the feasible mapping. The analysis focuses on the convergence of sequences of value functions and solution mappings via variational approximations of the data. To this end, we employ lower and upper continuous, epi- and hypo-convergence notions for functions, together with lower and upper continuous and graphical convergence notions for multifunctions. In addition, we study some relationships among these types of convergence and provide examples and counterexamples associated with the corresponding notions. Our results extend and complement existing stability results in the literature. We provide applications to generalized Nash equilibrium problems, where stability is obtained via a direct approach, as well as to finite-horizon dynamic programming models under novel perturbation assumptions.