Understanding utility functions: definition, calculation, and examples

Fact checked by Ariel Courage Reviewed by Erika Rasure Key Takeaways Utility functions measure consumer preferences and satisfaction with goods or services.They help analyze consumer decisions to ...
JSTOR Daily

Maximization of Nonconcave Utility Functions in Discrete-Time Financial Market Models

Mathematics of Operations Research, Vol. 41, No. 1 (February 2016), pp. 146-173 (28 pages) This paper investigates the problem of maximizing expected terminal utility in a (generically incomplete) ...
Forbes

At Last! Portfolio Guidance Based on Expected Utility Maximization

Every week, it seems, there’s a new financial website with just the right solution for managing your money. “We’ll bucket you.” “We’ll goal you.” “We’ll de-tax you.” “We’ll balance you.” “We’ll ...
Harvard Business School

How Many Balance Functions Does It Take To Determine A Utility Function?

Pratt, John W. "How Many Balance Functions Does It Take To Determine A Utility Function?" Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 31, no. 2 (September 2005): 109–127. (Article in Honor of Paul Samuelson's ...