Multiplicative Automorphisms of Incidence Algebras

Abstract

Let $I(X,R)$ be the incidence algebra of the preordered set $X$ over the ring $R$. In the case of a finite connected partially ordered set $X$, we prove that the subgroup of inner multiplicative automorphisms is a direct factor of the group of multiplicative automorphisms of the algebra $I(X,R)$. As a consequence, we obtain several matching criteria of the subgroup of inner multiplicative automorphisms with the group of multiplicative automorphisms.