bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Application of Operations Research to School Desegregation
Authors: Lutz R. P. , Devine M. D. , Kumin H. J. , Smith W. C.
Published: November 2008

This paper describes an operations research approach taken to implement a desegregation plan for the Oklahoma City Public Schools. While the main objective of the plan was desegregation, it also provides for an equal educational opportunity for all students and more efficient utilization of facilities. The essential element of the plan is that students attend their same home schools, but each school is responsible for a certain specialty area, such as science, mathematics, or foreign language. Students taking specialty courses travel to those schools. Thus, inherent in the plan is the technically complex problem of scheduling students among several schools in varying time patterns to minimize total weekly student travel time.

A form of modular scheduling was developed which allowed different courses to be taught for different lengths of time. From an educational point of view, class times could be tailored to the needs of a particular course. Since students take courses in overlapping time blocks at more than one school, the problem of building the Master Schedule was quite complex. In general, a Master Schedule could result in a large number of student conflicts. A master scheduling program was, therefore, developed which (1) operates in a time-sharing mode so that it is interactive with the principal, (2) attempts to minimize student conflicts and (3) works for any time block configuration.
Citizen Information Systems: Using Technology to Extend the Dialogue between Citizens and Their Government
Authors: Johnson Norman , Ward Edward
Published: November 2008

This article describes a citizen information system. Such a system (panel in type, neighborhood in orientation, public in character) is an important link in extending the notion of citizen participation in both policy and programs in a rapidly changing society. This extension is essential, since over time citizen participation schemes have tended to move in a way limiting the number of citizens involved. This limiting aspect is anachronistic in a democratic society, but, more importantly, turbulence or irrelevance may be expected unless the pendulum is moving to become more inclusive in an ongoing way (rather than exclusive). In addition to the information structure a second part of the participation strategy proposes considerations and trade-off possibilities for citizen use. An Urban-University Service Center (in analogy to the Agricultural Extension Service) is suggested as one vehicle for actualizing the use model of the participation strategy. The need for citizen advocates as a part of a use strategy is suggested in an intelligently formulated adversary process based on continued gathering and exploitation of suitably arranged information systems.
A Computational Approach to the Selection of an Optimal Network
Authors: Hoc Hoang Hai
Published: November 2008

We consider the problem of selecting an optimal traffic network in its simplest form, where there are no congestion costs. The superadditive effect of deleted links on the objective function is pointed out and used to develop some implicit enumeration procedures for this problem. Some efforts are devoted to evaluate these algorithms, and to show how to stop the computations with an “acceptable” approximate solution when computations are taking too much time.
A Composite Heterogeneous Model for Brand Choice Behavior
Authors: Jones J. Morgan
Published: November 2008

This paper proposes a new, more general model of consumer brand choice behavior. The model is a composite of the Bernoulli, Markov, and Linear Learning Models, all of which have previously been proposed to represent brand choice behavior. The properties of the model are explored, and a parameter estimation technique is developed. A special case of the model is developed for situations in which insufficient data are available to estimate the parameters of the complete model.
Extensions of the Fundamental Theorem of Exponential Smoothing
Authors: Cogger Kenneth O.
Published: November 2008

The fundamental theorem of exponential smoothing is extended to include the nonasymptotic case where only a finite number of time series observations are available. This extension leads to the rigorous elimination of the present need for initial conditions in general order exponential smoothing forecasts. In addition, a computationally efficient procedure is presented for the calculation of all elements of the general order exponential smoothing coefficient matrix. These extensions of the fundamental theorem permit the applied use of general order exponential smoothing in a computationally efficient and unambiguous manner.
Note—Derivation from Queueing Theory of an Identity Related to Abel's Generalization of the Binomial Theorem, which is Useful in Graph Theory
Authors: Cooper Robert B.
Published: November 2008

A well-known theorem of graph theory gives a simple formula for the calculation of the number of spanning trees of a complete graph with n labeled vertices. A well-known proof of this theorem uses a combinatorial identity, related to Abel's generalization of the binomial theorem, that is difficult to prove from first principles. It is the purpose of this note to observe that this identity is an easy consequence of an analysis of the busy period for the single-server queue with Poisson input and constant service times.
Toward a Normative Model of Promotional Decision Making
Authors: Aaker David A.
Published: November 2008

This paper presents a normative model of promotional decision making and reviews current literature in the model context. The model emphasizes the long-run impact of promotions and draws upon stochastic buyer-behavior model technology. In particular, a stochastic model is used to predict the level of brand acceptance obtained from a group of new triers attracted by a promotion—consumers with no recent use experience with the brand. This brand acceptance is made a function of the composition of the new-trier group. Finally, attention is focused upon the probability distribution of those attracted by the promotion, conditional on the nature of the promotion. This distribution is used to develop expressions for the expected long-term worth of a new-trier group attracted by a specific promotion.
The Journal Selection Problem in a University Library System
Authors: Kraft D. H. , Hill T. W.
Published: November 2008

The problem of selecting which journals to acquire in order to best satisfy library objectives is examined and modeled as a zero-one linear programming problem This is done using an objective function based on expected usage as a measure of journal worth and on cost constraints which account for the scarcity of capital. A dynamic programming algorithm is used to break down the larger problem into smaller sub-problems and to generate a feasible solution. Special cases where the solution is optimal are presented and discussed in terms of their implications for the library. An example problem is presented to illustrate the algorithm.
An Experimental Investigation of Decision Making in a Simulated Research and Development Environment
Authors: Moskowitz Herbert
Published: November 2008

Information processing and choice behavior of research and development (R&D) managers and MBA students were investigated through play of a simple R&D decision game under conditions of technical uncertainty. The experimental design permitted a detailed micro-analysis of the players' behavior. The research data were collected in concert with the game's use as a training vehicle, which also permitted exploration of improved methods for effectively educating practitioners in these concepts and the assessment of the potential imposition of decision theory on managerial decision making. The rules deduced describing information processing and decision processes have important implications for training in decision theory. Significant differences in game behavior were found between R&D managers and students. The significant degree of irrational and suboptimal behavior exhibited, the R&D managers' willingness to accept the norms of decision theory as a basis of rational thought, and their general interest in the topic of decision making underscore the importance of educating managers in the concepts of decision theory.
An Example of Loosely Coupled Stages in Dynamic Programming
Authors: White D. J.
Published: November 2008

This paper considers the problem of determining which jobs, of a specified set, should be done in a given week, and whether or not nonnormal working time arrangements should be used. Such arrangements are more expensive in the sense that plant has to be kept going under undesirable conditions, but, on the other hand, delaying work until the next week will influence the mix of work in that week and hence the economics of operation in that week. There is an interaction between weekly work schedules, which is resolved by means of dynamic programming. The extent of coupling between weeks depends on the extent of overspill from one week to the next. The dynamic programming approach shows how the existence of a small level coupling may be used to reduce the computational load. In very loosely coupled systems the problem reduces to a simple two-stage problem. In uncoupled systems the problem reduces to a single-stage problem.
Stochastic Programs with Recourse: Random Recourse Costs Only
Authors: Garstka Stanley J.
Published: November 2008

In this paper we discuss the class of stochastic programs with recourse in which the only randomness present is in the recourse costs. Two economic interpretations are given. We present results which enable one to check if the convex deterministic equivalent program possesses all the “nice” properties of convex programs—feasibility, boundedness, solvability and dualizability. The simple recourse problem is then discussed. The specific form of the convex deterministic equivalent for the case of simple recourse is exhibited.
The Equivalence of Integer Programs to Constrained Recursive Systems
Authors: Nanda Patanjali S.
Published: November 2008

It has been established that integer programs with integral, recursive constraint matrices have integral extreme points for integral, nonnegative requirement vectors. In this paper, it is first shown that the assignment problem can be transformed to such a program, but with upper bounds on some variables. This equivalent program leads to additional results for solving the assignment problem. Algorithms are then delineated to transform matching, covering and travelling salesman problems to equivalent recursive programs of the aforementioned type, but with bounds on some variables. These results are extended to programs with special structure in their constraint matrices.
Decentralization by Function and Location
Authors: Kochen Manfred , Deutsch Karl W.
Published: November 2008

Under what conditions is decentralization of facilities rational for a client-centered system of service or administration, and when is great centralization more cost-effective?

Four aspects of decentralization are identified: (1) pluralization of facilities (e.g., service points or channels); (2) dispersal in geographic space; (3) specialization by function or kind of service; and (4) adaptation to the specific requirements of each case through repeated feedback passes or negotiating queries. Different functions or kinds of service are treated as being located in a function space; the distances among them correspond to the number and cost of adjustment steps which a server or a service facility needs to shift from one function to another. For calculating the optimal number of facilities, n, the most important variables, calculated as averages, are the service load; the geographic distance; the cost of time spent in transporting a request and the response to it, and the transport speed; the functional distance or number of functions; the cost of time in adjusting to the function requested; and the adjustment speed; and the total fixed cost per facility. Other important variables are the number of negotiating queries per request, and an indicator of the value of time (i.e., of a speedier response). Under certain assumptions, such as neglecting economies or diseconomies of scale, the optimum number of facilities for a system with a single function then varies as the square root of the service load; this is also the case for a system with a single location but several functions. For a system with several functions and locations, the optimal number of facilities varies as the two-thirds power of the service load.

Long-term trends may be toward decentralization when service loads and the costs of service time grow faster than capital costs and transport and adjustment speeds, as seems likely for the next several decades. Where the opposite conditions prevail, cost-effectiveness should favor centralization, such as perhaps in some earlier periods, and possibly in the more distant future.

Possible applications through eventual elaborations of these oversimple models are suggested for fire, ambulance, and police, school and local government systems; hospitals and clinics; libraries, telephone exchanges, and computer systems; laboratories, repair shops, and mail order houses; law courts and judicial districts; and the numbers of administrative districts and sovereign states.
Linear Programming and Financial Analysis of the New Community Development Process
Authors: Heroux Richard L. , Wallace William A.
Published: November 2008

The land development process with its concomitant financial analysis is described for new communities. A multi-period linear programming model was constructed permitting the determination of (1) maximum revenues, (2) the optimal development schedule, (3) the optimal parcelization schedule, and (4) the optimal land allocations for the proposed new community. The model's role as an aid to the developer is described, and a procedure proposed, based upon the dual variables, that links the financial analysis to the plan for development. The applicability of the model is illustrated via a case study of a proposed large-scale development.
Analytical Effectiveness of Mathematical Models for R&D Project Selection
Authors: Souder William E.
Published: November 2008

Four mathematical programming models for R&D project selection and funding are developed, based on similar models and results in the literature. Project selection and funding decision planning data for thirty actual R&D projects are collected and the models are used with these data to ascertain which of the available projects to select and how much to spend on them. The portfolios prescribed by each model are compared with a prorata benchmark allocation, an ex post optimum allocation based on the success/fail project outcomes and the allocations actually used by management. The results indicate that these models may be effective decision aids when used at appropriate project life cycle periods, with the choice of the particular model form being influenced by the manager's objectives and viewpoints of the project selection problem.
Investment in Series and Parallel Systems to Maximize Expected Life
Authors: Jacobsen S. E. , Arunkumar S.
Published: November 2008

A series (parallel) system consisting of n stochastically independent components is considered. The system works if, and only it, each component (at least one component) works. The failure time distribution of each component can be influenced by investment in that component. The optimization problem is to choose an investment allocation which maximizes expected system life. It is demonstrated that this nonseparable problem can be solved, in some cases, by solving a sequence of related separable problems. It is also shown that, under rather general conditions, a solution associated with the sequence of separable problems is a local maximum.
Job Shop Sequencing Problem on Two Machines with Time Lag Constraints
Authors: Panwalkar S. S.
Published: November 2008

The problem studied is that of two-machine job shop sequencing where some jobs are processed first on machine 1 and then on machine 2, while the remaining jobs are processed in the reverse order. The objective is to determine an ordered sequence which minimizes the total processing time, subject to some specified lag time constraints. A rule is given for determining two different sequences for the two machines which represent an optimal solution.
Minimal Cost Cut Equivalent Networks
Authors: Picard Jean-Claude , Ratliff H. Donald
Published: November 2008

This paper is concerned with the following problem in network synthesis. Suppose that we are given a network with real-valued capacities on each arc. There is a cost associated with each arc which is proportional to the magnitude of the arc capacity. We wish to determine new arc capacities such that the capacity of each cut in the new network differs from the capacity of the corresponding cut in the original network by a specified constant and such that the total cost is minimized. This problem is shown to be equivalent to solving a minimum cost flow problem on a related network.
Note—A Note on the Deterministic Capacity Problem
Authors: Giglio Richard J.
Published: November 2008

This note extends some work by Manne [Manne, A. S. 1961. Capacity expansion and probabilistic growth. Econometrica 29 (4, October).], which dealt with the case where demand was growing linearly, and also some work by Srinivasan [Srinivasan, T. N. Geometric rate of growth of demand. Investments for Capacity Expansion 150–156.] who assumed demand was growing geometrically. The difference lies in the form of the demand which here is assumed to be growing at a decreasing rate.
Parameters of Discrete Time Models of Detection of Change
Authors: Rapoport Amnon , Burkheimer Graham J.
Published: November 2008

A discrete time detection of change (DC) process is characterized by a state S0 that at some stage t turns into state S1. Either of two decisions is made at each stage τ: W—take another observation, or D—S1 is the true state. In the former case, the result of each observation is a random variable x, which has a probability density function fo(x) if t > τ or f1(x) if t ≦ τ. In the latter case, if t > τ, an error loss is incurred, the knowledge that t > τ is gained, and the process continues, whereas if t ≦ τ the process terminates with a delay loss proportional to τ − t. In the modified detection of change (MDC) process D is a terminal decision.

Equations are presented for recursively computing useful parameters, such as the probability distributions of the number of observations and of the number of errors in the DC process. The relationships between the two processes are examined, yielding an alternative method for determining the minimum expected loss.
Automatic Management: A Forecast and its Educational Implications
Authors: Ackoff Russell L.
Published: November 2008

These remarks are intended to outline a forecast of the future of management and management science, namely that through scientific research management is going to become increasingly automatic. This forecast is based on a survey and projection of some contemporary technological and scientific developments.
A Basis for Strategic Decisions on Inventory Control Operations
Authors: Feeney George J.
Published: November 2008

It is the purpose of this paper to suggest that inventory control operations involve two distinct types of problems which may be identified as tactical decision problems and strategic decision problems. The difference between these two types of problems will be discussed in more detail below. For the moment it is sufficient to observe that a solution to the tactical problem defines a family of decision rules while a solution to the strategic problem involves a final selection of some particular member of this family. It will be suggested, further, that while much attention has been given to the tactical decision problem, the methods typically employed to solve the strategic problem are frequently less than satisfactory. Finally, an alternative approach to strategic decisions on inventory control operations will be outlined. This alternative approach will be illustrated through two specific examples taken from recent experience.
Formulating a Theory of Work Measurement
Authors: Abruzzi Adam
Published: November 2008

Most everyone would agree that optimal management decisions can only be made on the basis of sharp information. However, this question has not received much specific attention in the literature, largely because of a preoccupation with formal theories and models. This is quite understandable for, until comparatively recently, there was little theory in the field of management science. This is no longer the case, and the theories have far outrun data-gathering procedures. Indeed, the theories themselves suggest that better data-gathering procedures are needed than have heretofore been available. Improved theories and models simply demand improved sources and types of data.

This need is particularly pressing in the field of work measurement. Stable and precise estimates of production rates would be highly useful, for example, in working out an optimal production policy, particularly with respect to planning and scheduling. In addition to this, stable and precise estimates of production rates are highly useful for implementing production policy at local levels. The success of a production policy depends on the quality of local implementation. It is also local implementation that gives flexibility and, hence, realism to the results obtained from broad formal models. Formal results would otherwise degenerate to elegant cookbook recipes which might easily turn out to be worse than intuitive solutions arrived at from “off-the-shelf” models.
Management Science—Fact or Theory?
Authors: Churchman C. West
Published: November 2008

Theory and fact are just two sides of the same coin; but the two sides of a coin are different, and this difference will continue to characterize the development of management science. I hope that the future issues of the journal will more and more emphasize the problems of measurement and data-determination, just as they have emphasized “theoretical” formulations in the past.

I take the diversity of point of view as a sign of a healthy organism. I see too that as this diversity shapes itself into a more unified attack, the objectives of TIMS and its peculiar role in intellectual and management activity will become clear.
Present Status of the Work of Managing
Authors: Smiddy Harold F.
Published: November 2008

I am going to take advantage of my brief time with you here to see if we can establish the basic meaning of a Science of Management; and so to reveal the intent which has guided the steps of many who have chosen to search through the complex of social, political and economic variables which both describe the direction in which understanding may be found and inhibit the progress toward it.
Operations Engineering
Authors: Bowerman E. R. , Littauer S. B.
Published: November 2008

Interest in management science, especially under the name “operations research,” on the part of industry has grown since World War II due partly to the publicity given to military applications and partly to the return to industry of men trained along these lines. The techniques have become more fully developed and it is the purpose of this article to develop some conclusions we have been able to draw from our experience in applying the concepts. These conclusions resulted from an analysis of what was needed to apply operations research techniques to manufacturing. In particular, attention was given to stabilizing procedures, to making decisions in the face of uncertainty and to improving communication. It was found that these and related operating problems could be handled in an engineering fashion so that operations research would be more effective.
A Mathematical Model for Integrated Business Systems
Authors: Lieberman Irving J.
Published: November 2008

The business firm is not merely “facts”, modified by logic, engineering, and intuition forming communication networks among rational individuals with perdictable reactions. Nevertheless, it is true that intercommunication of facts is necessary for continuance and that the prosperity of the firm does depend to a significant degree on the efficiency, effectiveness, and application of facts toward operations throughout the enterprise. The form and manner of data transmittal must be prescribed and organized. It is to this portion of the problems of management that the considerations in this paper are directed.
An Optimum Geographical Distribution of Publicity Expenditure in a Private Organisation
Authors: Zentler A. P. , Ryde Dorothy
Published: November 2008

This paper attempts the solution of a practical problem. Given an international organisation with branches in n different countries and concerned with publicity for a commodity X—in competition with a substitute X′—how should such an organisation allocate its expenditure among them so as to get the maximum overall return. Though our model is necessarily based to some extent on intelligent guess-work, it has the merit of providing at least a logically consistent solution of the problem.
Markovian Decision Processes with Probabilistic Observation of States
Authors: Satia J. K. , Lave R. E.
Published: November 2008

This is a study of finite state discrete time discounted Markovian decision process when the states are probabilistically observed. A model of this process is formulated, and an implicit enumeration algorithm is presented which optimizes the total expected discounted reward given the initial state. Several numerical examples are presented.
On Characterizing the Extrema of a Function of Two Variables, One of Which is Discrete
Authors: Kumin Hillel
Published: November 2008

This research was motivated by design problems in queueing theory where the objective function is composed of a discrete variable and a continuous variable. Sufficient conditions are developed such that any local minimum of such an objective function is also a global minimum. A two-parameter design problem associated with an M/Ek/1 system is used as an example to show how the conditions are utilized.
Deterministic Discrete Dynamic Programming with Discount Factor Greater than One: Structure of Optimal Policies
Authors: Dirickx Yvo M. I.
Published: November 2008

The paper considers the deterministic dynamic programming model with discount factor greater than one. Possible applications are discussed. After the introduction of a suitable optimization criterion, it is shown that stationary policies are not necessarily optimal and that optimal finite horizon policies do not necessarily converge to an optimal infinite horizon policy. These difficulties are circumvented by the use of a special method, called asymptotic analysis, that allows for inductive arguments on finite horizon models. Asymptotic analysis yields the structure of optimal policies. An optimal policy will usually belong to a special class of history remembering policies.
Capacity Expansion and Specialization
Authors: Kalotay A. J.
Published: November 2008

We consider a firm which is constrained to meet a growing demand for each of its two services. There are two types of equipment available to the firm: an expensive general-purpose equipment and a cheaper specialized equipment which could provide only one of the services. We assume that the ratio of the demands is independent of time and that identical scale-economies are offered in the cost of the equipments. We establish a lower bound for the present worth of the optimal policy in the case of linearly or exponentially growing demands, and determine the conditions under which the use of the specialized equipment is justified. We show that in the case of linearly growing demands the specialized equipment should eventually be used, while if the demands are growing exponentially this may not be the case.
Structural Control in a Graded Manpower System
Authors: Davies G. S.
Published: November 2008

Control is exercised on the parameters of a Markov chain model for a graded manpower system, and the effects on the structure of the system are examined. Questions of attainability and maintainability of structures are discussed for both fixed size and expanding systems. Examples are presented to illustrate the theory.
An Experimental Evaluation of Information Overload in a Production Environment
Authors: Chervany Norman L. , Dickson Gary W.
Published: November 2008

This paper reports the results of an experimental study of the relationship between the effectiveness of aggregate production planning decisions and the form of the information system used to support the decision making. The experiment, involving twenty two graduate business administration students devoting an entire week end to the decision making activity in a simulated, computer based environment, generated results showing significantly different performance according to the form in which information was presented. Decision makers given data summarized through the use of simple descriptive statistics (1) made higher quality decisions than those receiving the same data in standard formats, (2) had less confidence in the quality of their decisions, and (3) took longer to make their decisions.
A Normative Model for Negotiations
Authors: Rao Ambar G. , Shakun Melvin F.
Published: November 2008

Negotiations between a multinational corporation and a host government are considered for an international joint venture. Various negotiating behavior concepts that the two parties may use are discussed. The process of concession-making is formulated as a sequential decision problem, where each party has an opportunity for concession-making in alternating negotiation sessions, the magnitude of the concession depending on the current state of negotiations and the behavior concept being employed. A dynamic programming model is developed to yield normative recommendations as to concession-making. Numerical examples illustrating the model are presented.
A Technique for Designing and Augmenting Simulation Experiments
Authors: Williams Donald R. , Weeks David L.
Published: November 2008

The technique presented permits the experimenter to eliminate, if possible, a large number of the design points of an experiment. It also permits him to sequentially converge, if necessary, to an entire set of design points or to eliminate design points in which there is little interest. The technique is very flexible with regard to augmentation of levels and/or factors at various stages of the investigation. Thus, it provides a means of designing and augmenting experiments which is particularly suitable to simulation experiments. Furthermore, the analysis of the data at each step in the sequence is performed using the conventional analysis-of-variance techniques.
Some Interpretations of Sequential Bid Pricing Strategies
Authors: Attanasi Emil
Published: November 2008

This note provides an alternative interpretation for sequential bid pricing strategies as initially formulated by Kortanek, Soden, and Sodaro [Kortanek, K. O., J. V. Soden, D. Sodabo. 1973. Profit analysis and sequential bid pricing models. Management Sci. 20 (3, November) 396–417.]. In particular, bid prices obtained from the sequential model are shown to result from a condition which incorporates the failure rate function as a means of including probable actions of competing firms. A reformulation of the bidder's criterion function in the context of utility theory is also discussed and shown to result in bidding strategies which may also be interpreted in the proposed fashion.
Networks with Gains in Discrete Dynamic Programming
Authors: Dirickx Yvo M. I. , Rao M. R.
Published: November 2008

The simplex method is specialized for a special class of networks with gains arising in discounted deterministic Markov decision models.
Convergence Results and Approximations for Optimal (s, S) Policies
Authors: Hordijk Arie , Tijms Henk
Published: November 2008

In this paper we consider the dynamic inventory model with a discrete demand and no discounting. We verify a conjecture of Iglehart about the asymptotic behaviour of the minimal total expected cost. To do this, we give for the denumerable state dynamic programming model a number of conditions under which the minimal total expected cost for the n-stage model minus n times the minimal average cost has a finite limit as n → ∞. For a positive demand distribution we establish a turnpike theorem which states that for all n sufficiently large the optimal n-stage policy (sn, Sn) is average cost optimal. Further, we show that the computation of the (sn, Sn) policies supplies monotonic upper and lower bounds on the minimal average cost. Also, the average cost of the (sn, Sn) policy lies between the corresponding bounds. For a positive demand distribution these bounds converge as n → ∞ to the minimal average cost.
An Equilibrium-Point Interpretation of Stable Sets and a Proposed Alternative Definition
Authors: Harsanyi John C.
Published: November 2008

The paper argues that the von Neumann-Morgenstern definition of stable sets is unsatisfactory because it neglects the destabilizing effect of indirect dominance relations. This argument is supported both by heuristic considerations and by construction of a bargaining game B(G), formalizing the bargaining process by which the players agree on their payoffs from an n-person cooperative game G. (G itself is assumed to be given in characteristic-function form allowing side payments.) The strategies ρi, the players use in this bargaining game will determine which payoff vectors x will be stationary, i.e., will have the property that, should such a payoff vector x be proposed to the players, all further bargaining will stop and x will be accepted as the outcome of the game. It will be suggested that a stable set should be defined as the set V of all stationary payoff vectors x, on the assumption that the players' bargaining strategies p, will form a canonical equilibrium point ρ in the bargaining game B(G).

In a certain class of games, to be called absolutely stable games, indirect dominance relations turn out to be irrelevant, and in these games the suggested definition for stable sets is equivalent to the von Neumann-Morgenstern definition. But in general this is not the case. However, if we assume that the players will adopt bargaining strategies deliberately discouraging any use of indirect dominance relations, then, in every game, the stable sets our model yields will always be von Neumann-Morgenstern stable sets.

At the end of the paper, we briefly discuss a possible modification in the suggested definition for stable sets, based on a modified bargaining game B0(G), in which the players are permitted to accept cuts in their provisional payoffs if they think that this move will increase their final payoffs.
On Evaluating the Scientific Contribution of the Apollo Moon Missions Via Information Theory: A Study of the Scientist-Scientist Relationship
Authors: Mitroff Ian I. , Mason Richard O.
Published: November 2008

This paper describes the difficulties in evaluating large-scale scientific programs. These difficulties are illustrated through a single case study of the Apollo moon program. The paper describes some of the results of a three and a half year investigation into the beliefs of 42 of the most eminent scientists who studied the moon rocks. The effect of the Apollo missions on the beliefs of the scientists with respect to certain key scientific hypotheses is measured by means of information theory. The paper shows why greater collaborative efforts between the physical and the social sciences are required if there are to develop better tools of evaluation, and ultimately, if we are to develop more informed models of science. The study [Mitroff, Ian I. 1974. The Subjective Side of Science: A Philosophical Enquiry into the Psychology of the Apollo Moon Scientists. Elsevier, forthcoming.] on which this paper is based documents the tremendous role that “irrational” factors play in the attainment of scientific objectivity. We need better models of science that are based, if only in part, on what scientists actually do.
When to Hedge Against Devaluation
Authors: Shapiro Alan C. , Rutenberg David P.
Published: November 2008

The treasurer of a multi-national corporation can hedge to protect his corporation against an impending currency devaluation or revaluation. He can cover a future period, τ, now, without covering any intervening periods, by selling the suspect currency forward for τ periods and buying it forward for τ − 1 periods. There are generally no external economies resulting from hedging for more than one period at a time so that the problem is formulated to analyze each period separately. The cost of hedging (for corporate sized amounts) appears to be linear so the hedging price for each period is treated as a constant. Given current costs, expectations of costs, and expectations of probable devaluations or revaluations, should the treasurer now contract to hedge a particular period or should he wait? (The aggregation of the past and current hedge decisions constitutes the intervals to be hedged now.) Each of these hedge or wait decisions is formulated as a dynamic program. This dynamic program fortunately distills down to a very simple decision rule of comparing the expected cost of hedging with a constant for that period when unhedging is permitted. Even when the spread between the buying and selling rates is significant, there will be a need to solve numerically a dynamic program for only a few of the periods. We present and analyse four situations: Hedging with no unhedging. Hedging with the option of unhedging later, but with a spread between buying and selling costs. Hedging in the face of a key event that will branch the probabilities. Hedging when there's a chance of more than one devaluation.
Generalized Equivalent Integer Programs and Canonical Problems
Authors: Faaland Bruce
Published: November 2008

The theory of equivalent integer programs is generalized so that a set of minimal canonical problems always exists within each equivalence class. An example is used to demonstrate how highly computation time depends on the particular canonical problem chosen to be solved by implicit enumeration algorithms.
Scheduling a Full-Time Workforce to Meet Cyclic Staffing Requirements
Authors: Baker Kenneth R.
Published: November 2008

A simple algorithm is developed for the problem of assigning days off to full-time staff given a cyclic seven-day demand pattern. The formulation assumes that employees are entitled to two consecutive days off each week and that the objective is to find a minimum staff size capable of meeting the requirements. The algorithm involves only hand calculations, and its computing effort is predictable.
Alternate Formulations for Static Multi-Attribute Assignment Models
Authors: Srinivasan V. , Thompson G. L.
Published: November 2008

In an earlier issue of this journal, Charnes, Cooper, Niehaus and Stedry provided different problem formulations to take into account the multiple attributes that organizations may consider in assigning men to jobs. The present paper shows that their formulations for static multi-attribute models (i.e., when assignments are time independent) can be reformulated either as standard assignment problems or as bottleneck assignment problems by suitably redefining the cost coefficients, with the result that optimal solutions with integer assignments can be guaranteed.
The Application of an Implicit Enumeration Algorithm to the School Desegregation Problem
Authors: Liggett Robin Segerblom
Published: November 2008

This paper presents an implicit enumeration algorithm for redrawing school attendance boundaries in order to meet integration requirements. The basis of the approach is the division of the city into smaller areas or zones corresponding to neighborhoods. These zones are assigned to schools with the objective of minimizing the required bussing while meeting the school capacity and racial mix constraints. An entire zone is assigned to one school, thus preserving the neighborhood school concept. Viewing the possible zone-school assignments as a combinatorial problem, a general enumerative procedure is combined with probability theory to form the implicit enumeration algorithm. An explanation of the algorithm along with computational results of an application of the method to an existing school system is presented.
Stag Monotone Experimental Design Algorithm (SMEDAL)
Authors: Morgan Alexander
Published: November 2008

In using a computer simulation to gain insight into a planning problem, repeated runs over a range of input variables can be used to develop a picture of the general response of the system being studied. SMEDAL was developed to help organize such studies and in particular to eliminate redundant computer runs. If the planning problem can be interpreted as a question of feasibility (i.e., will we win or lose?) and if the system under study exhibits a “monotone” property, then SMEDAL can be applied. Furthermore, SMEDAL is not limited to computer applications but can be used to save effort in any such study.
Antecedents and Consequences of Research Planning in a University Setting
Authors: Glueck William F. , Deich Ingrid
Published: November 2008

This paper reports on some of the results of a study on research administration at the University of Missouri, Columbia. The subjects were 248 professors with research grants. The paper first examines some characteristics that are likely to lead to research planning. Some of the characteristics examined include size of research grant, number of subordinates in the research project, and preferences for type of research problems investigated.

The consequences of planning, the satisfaction of the research professor, his rewards and productivity are also examined. In general, planning did not lead to greater researcher satisfaction, but it did lead to greater productivity for the researcher.
An Economic Evaluation of Job Shop Dispatching Rules
Authors: Jones C. H.
Published: November 2008

This paper attempts to provide an economic framework in which various job shop dispatching rules can be evaluated. It shows the relative advantage of shortest processing time rules in gaining increased utilization of the shop facilities and the relative advantage of minimum slack rules in meeting promise commitments. The paper graphs each of four kinds of costs (costs of long promises, costs of missed promises, costs of idle resources, and costs of carrying inventory) against two independent variables, the amount of work-in-process inventory and the tightness of the promises. It demonstrates the kind of cost structure which causes a minimum slack rule to be superior to a shortest processing time rule.
The Estimation of Nonstationary Transition Probabilities
Authors: Dent Warren
Published: November 2008

The estimation of an underlying Markov process of constant transition probabilities which explains aggregated market share movements over time has received much attention from theorists and applied researchers. Summaries of the work to date are given in [Dent, Warren T., Richard Ballintine. 1971. A review of the estimation of transition probabilities in Markov chains. Australian J. Agricultural Econom. 15 and Lee, T. C., G. G. Judge, A. Zellner. 1970. Estimating the Parameters of the Markov Probability Model from Aggregate Time Series Data. North-Holland, Amsterdam.]. The problem of estimating a nonstationary process however has not been solved, although Hallberg [Hallberg, M. C. 1969. Projecting the size distribution of agricultural firms—an application to a Markov process with non-stationary transition probabilities. J. Farm Econom. 51.] has looked at the problem in the case of micro data, that is, when movements between periods are observable. Harary, Lipstein, and Styan [Harary, F., B. Lipstein, G. P. H. Styan. 1970. A matrix approach to nonstationary chains. Oper. Res. 18.] have investigated nonstationary chain properties in the case of aggregated data but have not looked at estimation. We present an attempt to formalize Harary, Lipstein, and Styan's model and to develop appropriate solution techniques for estimation of its unknown parameters. An iterative quadratic programming procedure is suggested.
An Extension to Modigliani and Hohn's Planning Horizons Results
Authors: Lieber Zvi
Published: November 2008

This paper deals with the planning horizon issues of the problem of finding the optimal production schedule over a [0, T] period, for a product having: (1) deterministic demand, (2) strictly convex production costs, and (3) linear holding and back-logging costs. A set of solutions defined as extrapolations is defined, and a property of nonintersection of extrapolations is proved. Using this property uniqueness and planning horizon theorems are proved. It is shown that the reason for the planning horizons is the jump (discontinuity) in the derivative of the inventory cost function when inventory is zero. In addition, the paper deals with the following question: What kinds of changes (variations) in demand may occur such that the optimal solution (production schedule) on some time interval will remain unchanged? This question is associated with the following one: What information is needed about demand in order that the optimal solution on some time interval may be found?
Assignment Problem Based on Ordinal Preferences
Authors: Gardenfors Peter
Published: November 2008

The assignment problem, a well-known variant of which is the problem of optimal staff distribution, has formerly been treated as a problem of linear optimization starting with numerical evaluations of the assignments. In this paper the assignment problem is regarded as a problem of social choice, where preference orders are used as the sole initial information. A formal definition of an assignment function is given and various conditions for such functions are suggested. Some conditions are found to be incompatible. Several reasonable assignment functions are examined with respect to which conditions they fulfil. Finally, some problems, related to the assignment problem, are informally discussed.
Computer Simulation for Mixed-Model Production Lines
Authors: Macaskill J. L. C.
Published: November 2008

This paper presents results of research into computer simulation of a mixed-model assembly line. The problem to be solved is described and the mathematical model of the line is presented. Algorithms that provide acceptable sequences of product models in various conditions are given, and results of simulator experiments are analysed and discussed. In the final section of the paper conclusions are drawn from the results of the work, and the general usefulness of simulation for assembly work is considered.
Optimization of Deterministic, Multiproduct Inventory Model with Joint Replenishment
Authors: Mariani Luigi , Nicoletti Bernardo
Published: November 2008

A deterministic, continuous time, nonstationary, multiproduct inventory model is formulated to find the number of joint replenishments, the order quantities, and the times at which orders should be placed which minimize the total cost over a finite time horizon. Both backlogging and no backlogging are considered. Conditions are given for the determination of the optimal policy, and their necessity and sufficiency are discussed. The case in which the costs are quadratic is dealt in detail and numerical examples are given.
A Simple Expression for the Shapley Value in a Special Case
Authors: Littlechild S. C. , Owen G.
Published: November 2008

We present a simple and easily calculated expression for the Shapley value whenever the characteristic function is a “cost” function with the property that the cost of any subset of players is equal to the cost of the “largest” player in that subset. It turns out that a simple rule previously proposed for calculating airport landing charges generates precisely the Shapley value for an appropriately defined game.