Developments in Operational Research

Developments in Operational Research reviews developments in operational research (OR) and includes numerical examples to illustrate techniques and applications. Topics covered include some of the most widely used OR ''techniques'', such as mathematical programming and simulation, together with the contribution of OR methodology to specific application areas, such as capital investment appraisal and purchasing. This book is comprised of seven chapters and begins with an introduction to the state of mathematical programming systems, along with the relevance of other optimization algorithms to OR and techniques for handling certain types of nonlinearity. The discussion then turns to network optimization techniques and their applications for the New Zealand Justice Department as well as for the wheat and dairy industries. The following chapters focus on computer simulation as applied in OR, with emphasis on various approaches to discrete event modeling; application of OR to industrial maintenance and replacement; financial appraisal methods, including discounting methods; and the use of Bayesian decision analysis to decision making. This text concludes by looking at the purchasing function and the limitations of classical stock control theory in practice. Models and procedures are developed to cope with real situations. Materials requirements planning, quantity discounts, price inflation, commodity purchasing decisions, and blending problems are considered. This monograph will be of interest to planners, decision makers, and others involved in operations research.