Let G be a simple complex algebraic group, and let $K \subset G$ be a reductive subgroup such that the coordinate ring of $G/K$ is a multiplicity-free G-module. We consider the G-algebra structure of $\mathbb C[G/K]$ and study the decomposition into irreducible summands of the product of irreducible G-submodules in $\mathbb C[G/K]$ . When the spherical roots of $G/K$ generate a root system of type $\mathsf A$ , we propose a conjectural decomposition rule, which relies on a conjecture of Stanley on the multiplication of Jack symmetric functions. With the exception of one case, we show that the rule holds true whenever the root system generated by the spherical roots of $G/K$ is a direct sum of subsystems of rank 1.

This paper aims to lay the foundations for a combinatorial study, via orthogonal functions and intertwining operators, of category for the rational Cherednik algebra of type G(r, p, n). As a first application, a self-contained and elementary proof of the analogue for the groups G(r, p, n), with r > 1, of Gordon's Theorem (previously Haiman's Conjecture) on the diagonal co-invariant ring is given. No restriction is imposed on p; the result for p ≠ r has been proved by Vale using a technique analogous to Gordon's. Because of the combinatorial application to Haiman's Conjecture, the paper is logically self-contained except for standard facts about complex reflection groups. The main results should be accessible to mathematicians working in algebraic combinatorics who are unfamiliar with the impressive range of ideas used in Gordon's proof of his theorem.

Let $K$ be a complex reductive algebraic group and $V$ a representation of $K$. Let $S$ denote the ring of polynomials on $V$. Assume that the action of $K$ on $S$ is multiplicity-free. If $\lambda $ denotes the isomorphism class of an irreducible representation of $K$, let $\rho \lambda :K\to GL({{V}_{\lambda }})$ denote the corresponding irreducible representation and ${{S}_{\lambda }}$ the $\lambda $-isotypic component of $S$. Write ${{S}_{\lambda }}.{{S}_{\mu }}$ for the subspace of $S$ spanned by products of ${{S}_{\lambda }}$ and ${{S}_{\mu }}$. If ${{V}_{v}}$ occurs as an irreducible constituent of ${{V}_{\lambda }}\otimes {{V}_{\mu }}$, is it true that ${{S}_{v}}\subseteq {{S}_{\lambda }}.{{S}_{\mu }}?$ In this paper, the authors investigate this question for representations arising in the context of Hermitian symmetric pairs. It is shown that the answer is yes in some cases and, using an earlier result of Ruitenburg, that in the remaining classical cases, the answer is yes provided that a conjecture of Stanley on the multiplication of Jack polynomials is true. It is also shown how the conjecture connects multiplication in the ring $S$ to the usual Littlewood–Richardson rule.