On essential sets and essential components of efficient solutions for vector optimization problems ✩

In this paper, we first introduce the notions of an essential set and an essential component of the set of efficient solutions for continuous vector optimizations on a nonempty compact subset of a metric space. Then we show that for each of these vector optimizations, each set of all efficient solutions corresponding to the same optimal values is essential. Basing on this result, we give full characterizations of an essential point, an essential set and an essential component, respectively. As an application, we prove that for continuous quasiconvex vector optimization problems on a nonempty compact subset of a metric vector space, each component of the set of efficient solutions is essential even though the efficient solution set is not connected.  2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved