allokáció

Allokáció, the Hungarian term for allocation, refers to the process of distributing scarce resources among competing uses. In broader usage, it corresponds to allocation in economics, computer science, logistics, and public policy. The central issue is how to assign available resources such as goods, time, space, or computational power to maximize an objective, commonly efficiency, equity, or utility, given constraints.

In economics, resource allocation concerns how land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship are directed to produce goods and services. Markets use prices and voluntary exchange to coordinate allocation, while central planning relies on authorities to assign resources. The efficiency of allocation is often analyzed using concepts such as Pareto efficiency and comparative advantage; equity considerations may lead to redistributive interventions.

In computer science, memory and resource allocation describe how an operating system or runtime assigns RAM, CPU time, or I/O bandwidth to processes. Static allocation assigns fixed resources; dynamic allocation adjusts to demand but may incur overhead or fragmentation. Effective allocation is critical for system performance and fairness.

In operations research and public policy, allocation problems are formulated as optimization models, such as linear or integer programming, assignment problems, or matching. Solutions aim to optimize costs, profits, or service levels under constraints. Budgeting, scheduling, supply chain design, and healthcare resource distribution are common applications. Policy debates often balance efficiency with equity and resilience.

Historically, the concept of allokáció overlaps with economic theory from classical and neoclassical traditions and with modern optimization and algorithmic approaches. See also allocation problem, resource management, optimization, and welfare economics.