摘要:

AbstractIn the rapidly changing business environment, managers have to decide in what direction to change their businesses, and how to effect the desired changes. Benchmarking is one technique that uses the principles of OR and, as an example of its power, the results are summarized here of a major Andersen Consulting study of worldwide manufacturing competitiveness. But how we see business problems and relationships is as important as what we see. The Hofstede analysis of five cultural dimensions is discussed, together with its implications for co-operation and human relationships within the firm, and even for the formulation of strategy. The four strategy styles distinguished by Whittington reveal the importance of human and cultural factors in the very heart of business. In the battle for future markets, it is vital that the hard and soft techniques work in tandem.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.82

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThe paper contends that the conceptual modes used in Soft Systems Methodology have an unusual logical status. This enables them to be rendered in modal logic and used as a framework for knowledge elicitation and for the design of knowledge-based systems with learning capability.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.83

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractIn this paper a mathematical model of an anode manufacturing plant is developed with the objective of assisting in the planning and scheduling of production for up to a month ahead. A model of the overall smelter already exists and is based on a monthly time frame. The anode plant is a part of this model but is a very heavily constrained area and it is necessary to have a daily planning model that will help to achieve the optimal level of operations as dictated by the overall model of the smelter. The anode area is responsible for the production of carbon blocks (called anodes) which are an integral part of the aluminium smelting process. The plant is also responsible for the delivery of all raw materials within the smelter. The model developed is a daily one replicated for up to a month ahead, interconnected by opening and closing stocks.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.84

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThe improvement of economic conditions in developing countries like India is crucially dependent on improvement in agriculture. Crop production depends on the volume of irrigation water and its temporal distribution, water quality, solar radiation, precipitation and a host of soil properties. All these factors vary from crop to crop. In view of the above it is imperative for increasing agricultural production that scarce water resources should have efficient management. It is necessary to evolve an innovative approach for water distribution and management. This paper presents an integrated DSS model for a Micro-Watershed Management System (MWMS) for generating alternative water allocation and agricultural production scenarios for a semi-arid region. The model is tested with data from the Radharamanpur micro-watershed (364 Ha. area) in the Bankura district of West Bengal state in India.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.85

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThe past few years have seen a significant resurgence of interest in‘management games’and‘management flight simulators’, one particularly active source of such work being the system dynamics community. After proposing a distinction between games and simulations, this paper provides some background to these developments by briefly describing the historical roots of the field and the fundamental ideas of the system dynamics community, which are now giving rise to‘microworlds’. The training advantages of management simulations and games are then discussed. The paper closes with a note on the research and findings of the system dynamics field and by offering some words of warning on the perils of simulation and game use. Two scenarios for how the use of simulations and games as management education devices might develop in the future are proposed. An Appendix describes five examples of very different types of management simulations and games.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.86

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractSeveral mixed integer programming approaches to the multiple-group statistical classification problem are examined. Many papers have investigated conditions under which a degenerate solution occurs in linear programming approaches to the two-group discriminant problem. Very little research has been conducted in the multiple-group case. We investigate conditions under which a degenerate solution can occur in mixed integer programming approaches to the multiple-group classification problem. A multiple-group‘minimize the sum of deviations’model is presented. This model is similar in structure to the general single function classification model. Also, a two-goal approach to the multiple-group classification problem is discussed.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.87

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractThe generation of priority vectors from pairwise comparison information is an integral part of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Traditionally, either the right eigenvector method or the logarithmic least squares method have been used. In this paper, a goal programming method (GPM) is presented that has, as its objective, the generation of the priority vector whose associated comparison values are, on average, the closest to the pairwise comparison information provided by the evaluator. The GPM possesses the properties of correctness in the consistent case, comparison order invariance, smoothness, and power invariance. Unlike other methods, it also possesses the additional property that the presence of a single outlier cannot prevent the identification of the correct priority vector. The GPM also has a pair of naturally meaningful consistency indicators that offer the opportunity for empowering the decision maker. The GPM is thus an attractive alternative to other proposed methods.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.88

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractIn this paper we derive an optimal solution to the multi-item single-supplier inventory problem with two types of set-up costs. In the case considered, replenishment opportunities are restricted to the beginning of the discrete time periods.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.89

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

AbstractIn developing mathematical models in inventory control it is assumed that payment will be made to the supplier for the goods immediately after receiving the consignment. However, in practice, it is found that the supplier allows a certain fixed period to settle the account. During this fixed period no interest is charged by the supplier, but beyond this period interest is charged under the terms and conditions agreed upon and, moreover, interest can be earned on the revenue received during the credit period. In this paper an attempt has been made to obtain the optimum order quantity of deteriorating items under a permissible delay in payments. A numerical example is also given.

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.90

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0160-5682    

DOI:10.1057/jors.1995.91

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1995

数据来源: Taylor