WA01
CORS / INFORMS INTERNATIONAL— 2004
■ WA03
Wednesday 8:00-9:30 am
Max Bell Building- MB252
■ WA01
Optimization Techniques I
Max Bell Building- Auditorium
Contributed Session
Intelligent Transportation Systems
Chair: Martin Day, Professor, Department of Mathematics, Virginia
Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0123, United States, day@math.vt.edu
Cluster: Tutorials-CORS/INFORMS 2004
Invited Session
1 - A Multilevel Parallelized Hybrid Branch and Bound Algorithm for
Quadratic Optimization
Cong Vo, PhD Student, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama
2-12-1, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan, Tokyo, Japan,
vo.chi.cong@is.titech.ac.jp, Katsuki Fujisawa, Akiko Takeda,
Masakazu Kojima
1 - Intelligent Transportation Systems
Hani S. Mahmassani, Professor, Civil and Environmental
Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742,
United States, masmah@wam.umd.edu
The main promise of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) was to harness the
power of information and telecommunication technologies to operate transportation networks more efficiently, for both passenger and freight movement. These
call for methodologies to support online decision-making under real-time information on the system state (including flows on links and fleet vehicle positions),
including algorithms for data fusion, state estimation, prediction and real-time
operation of dynamic stochastic systems. The past decade has seen major strides
in the development of new problem formulations and decision procedures for
online decision problems that arise in both vehicular traffic networks (e.g.
dynamic assignment-based methodologies for centralized, decentralized and
hybrid control architectures), and freight fleet management. This tutorial assesses
the current state of ITS deployment in various transportation domains, introduces key concepts that distinguish problem classes that arise in this environment, and discusses various generic approaches and specific methodologies for
online decision-making in ITS systems for both vehicular traffic networks and
freight fleet operations.
We present a branch-and-bound algorithm for quadratic optimization with high
nonconvexity in quadratic terms. The branching procedure reduces the nonconvexity so that the subproblems become easier to solve. The bounding procedure
is a successive convex relaxation algorithm based on SDP (semidefinite programming). A significant number of SDP problems generated are solved in parallel
using a message passing interface mixed with multithreading for high performance and parallel efficiency.
2 - A Soft Approach for Solving Complicated Discrete Optimization
Models
Davis Chunhui Xu, Chiba Institute of Technology, Narashino,
Chiba, Japan, xchunhui@yahoo.co.jp
This paper is to introduce a soft approach for solving discrete optimizations models when seeking the optimum is not realistic. After explaining why new methods are in need for discrete optimization problems, we suggest a soft approach by
softening the goals in optimization, and propose a two-stage process for implementing the soft approach. An algorithm is also proposed for solving discrete
optimization models where the continuous expansion of the feasible set is convex.
■ WA02
Max Bell Building- MB251
Embedding Optimization Modeling Languages into
Applications II
3 - On Oblique Derivative Boundary Conditions for Hamilton-Jacobi
Equations
Martin Day, Professor, Department of Mathematics, Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0123, United States, day@math.vt.edu
Cluster: Math Programming
Invited Session
Value functions in dynamic optimization are often viscosity solutions of
Hamilton-Jacobi equations. In queueing network optimization, models using
Skorokhod problem formulations are common. These lead to boundary conditions for the H-J equation in the viscosity sense. We present results on such
boundary conditions, including an formulation in which the boundary conditions
are incorporated directly into the Hamiltonian function, and a geometric interpretation in the case of smooth functions.
Chair: Robert Fourer, Professor, Northwestern University, Dept of
Industrial Eng & Mgmt Sciences, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL,
60208-3119, United States, 4er@iems.northwestern.edu
1 - Using MPL and OptiMax 2000 to Create Embedded Optimization
Applications
Bjarni Kristjansson, President, Maximal Software, Inc., 2111
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700, Arlington, VA, 22201, United States,
bjarni@maximalsoftware.com
■ WA04
Max Bell Building- MB253
MPL is a modeling system that allows the model developer to efficiently formulate complicated optimization models. We will demonstrate advanced indexing
and data modeling techniques that are used to provide the speed and scalability
required to solve large-scale models with millions of variables and constraints.
We will also demonstrate how the OptiMax 2000 Component Library can be
used to embed MPL models in customized end-user applications to solve realworld optimization problems.
Nonlinear Programming Approaches for Mathematical
Programs with Equilibrium Constraints
Sponsor: Optimization
Sponsored Session
Chair: Mihai Anitescu, Argonne National Laboratory, MCS, Building
221, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL, 60639, United States,
anitescu@mcs.anl.gov
2 - Using Algabaric Modeling Languages with the WWW-NIMBUS
Multiobjective optimization system
Vesa Ojalehto, University of Jyväskylä, Department of MIT, P.O.
Box 35 (Agora), University of Jyväskylä, 40014, Finland,
ojveal@mit.jyu.fi, Marko M. Makela, Kaisa Miettinen
1 - Global Convergence of SQP Methods Applied to Mathematical
Programs with Equilibrium Constraints
Mihai Anitescu, Argonne National Laboratory, MCS, Building 221,
9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL, 60639, United States,
anitescu@mcs.anl.gov
We describe how existing models in the AMPL language for large-scale optimization can be imported into the WWW-NIMBUS system for multiobjective nondifferentiable optimization. WWW-NIMBUS is freely available for teaching and
research purposes (from nimbus.mit.jyu.fi) and was to our knowledge the first
interactive system of its kind on the Internet (in 1995). We also present other
developments of the system.
We show that, for the mixed P parametric variational inequalities, a class of
problems that is slightly stronger than the one studied in the monograph of Luo,
Pang and Ralph, the algorithm converges globally to a C-stationary point. If the
accumulation point satisfies stronger assumptions, then we prove that the point
is an M-stationary point. For the same conditions, we show that in a backward
error analysis sense, the result cannot be improved by local search.
3 - Financial Risk Management with AMPL
Helmut Mausser, Algorithmics Inc., 185 Spadina Avenue, Toronto,
ON, M5T 2C6, Canada, hmausser@algorithmics.com
2 - Solving Multi-Leader-Follower Games
Sven Leyffer, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Ave,
Argonne, IL, 60439, United States, leyffer@mcs.anl.gov, Todd
Munson
Managing a portfolio’s risk/return profile gives rise to a wide variety of optimization problems. Modeling languages can play a valuable role in delivering the
flexibility required of general-purpose financial optimization systems. We
describe an application that generates customized AMPL models according to
user specifications.
We propose a new practical approach to multi-leader-follower games. Multileader follower games arise when modeling competition between two or more
Stackelberg players and lead in a natural way to the novel modeling paradigm of
equilibrium problems with equilibrium constraints (EPECs). We show that a nonlinear optimization approach can be used to solve EPECs. We propose several formulations and investigate their practical suitability on some medium sized problems.
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CORS / INFORMS INTERNATIONAL — 2004
3 - Interior-Point Algorithms, Penalty Methods and Equilibrium
Problems
Hande Benson, Drexel University, Decision Sciences, Philadelphia,
PA, United States, benson@drexel.edu, Arun Sen, Robert
Vanderbei, David Shanno
WA08
the remaining ones. We investigate why the base-stock policy is or is not optimal
in different situations.
■ WA07
TransCanada Pavilion- PAV202
In this talk, we consider the question of solving mathematical programs with
equilibrium constraints as nonlinear programs, using an interior-point approach.
These problems pose theoretical difficulties for nonlinear solvers, including interior-point methods. We examine the use of penalty methods to get around these
difficulties, and present substantial numerical results. We go on to show that
penalty methods can resolve some problems that interior-point algorithms
encounter in general.
Supply Chain Management IV
Contributed Session
Chair: Chia-Shin Chung, Professor, Cleveland State University, 1860
E.18th Street, Cleveland, OH, 44114, United States,
c.chung@csuohio.edu
1 - Collaborations in Supply Chain: Value of Information Sharing
Namit Mehta, Student, IIM Ahmedabad, D 1318, IIM Ahmedabad,
Ahmedabad, India, namitmehta@hotmail.com
2 - Enhancing Capable-to-Promise with Revenue Management
Concepts
Hernan Wurgaft, Assistant Professor, SUNY Maritime College, 6
Pennyfield Ave., Throggs Neck, NY, 10465, United States, hwurgaft@sunymaritime.edu
■ WA06
TransCanada Pavilion- PAV201
Inventory Management II
Contributed Session
Chair: Suresh Sethi, Ashbel Smith Professor and Director of C4ISN,
University of Texas at Dallas, School of Management, SM30, P.O. Box
830688, Richardson, TX, 75083-0688, United States,
sethi@utdallas.edu
Capable-to-promise processes usually emphasize checking for inventory availability, dynamically building short term production schedules, identifying bottlenecks, and assesing the profitabilty of orders. The paper discusses how to
enhance capable-to-promise by considering demand forecasting and segmentation and applying policies to reserve capacity for high-revenue and strategic customers.
1 - Two-Echelon Deteriorating Inventory System with Limited
Capacity
Hui-Ming Wee, Professor, Chung Yuan Christian University, IE
Dept, Chung Yuan University, Chungli, Chungli, 320, Taiwan,
wee@cycu.edu.tw, Jonas Yu, Ch Chou
3 - Estimation Procedures in Supply Chains: Inventory Management
Jack Hayya, Professor Emeritus, Penn State University, 303 Beam
bldg, University Park, PA, 16802, United States, jch@psu.edu,
Stephen Disney, Terry Harrison, Dean Chatfield, Jeon Kim
In current competitive market environment, collaboration in developing strategies is vital to reduce the overall cost of an enterprise. The study considers the
case of limited capacity where the excess stock is held in a rented warehouse
(which is more expensive) whenever the storage capacity of the company warehouse is insufficient. A numerical example of two-echelon deteriorating inventory system is developed to derive the economic ordering policy.
Subtle differences in estimation or forecasting procedures produce dramatically
different parameter estimates in inventory management procedures in supply
chains. We show, for example, that determining when to introduce estimates of
lead-times in the calculation of the variance of demand during lead-time can give
dramatically different safety stocks and order-up-to-levels. Also, calculations of
supply chain turbulence using a firewalled two-echelon analysis differs markedly
from an analysis that considers a k-echelon analysis as a whole, k > 2. For the
latter exhibits a cascading phenomenon as occurred in Summer 2003 in the electrical grid of the Eastern United States and Ontario. Our research compares our
results to those in the recent literature and shows how superficially equivalent
estimation procedures can result in remarkably different scenarios.
2 - Inventory Evaluation and Product Slate Management in LargeScale Continuous Process Industries
David Cooke, PhD Candidate, Haskayne School of Business,
University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N
1N4, Canada, dlcooke@ucalgary.ca, Thomas Rohleder
Production planners at a large-scale continuous processing plant must consider
the effects of sequence-dependent off-grade production and production-rate
penalties, as well as inventory holding costs and capacity/service constraints. We
call this the continuous economic lot-sizing and scheduling problem (CELSP). We
present a formulation that addresses the particular aspects of the CELSP and
apply the proposed mathematical modeling approach to several plants of a chemical processing company.
4 - Virtual Distribution Systems: Review and a Proposed Integrated
Model with Research Initiatives
Bernard Cheung, Adjunct Professor, Department Math. &
Industrial Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal, Campus
de l’Université de Montréal, 2500, Chemin de Polytechnique,
Montréal, QC, H3C3a7, Canada, bernard.cheung@gerad.ca, Eric
Ngai
3 - Multi-Constrained Multi-Item Inventory Systems with All-Units
Discounts
John Moussourakis, Rider University, 2083 Lawrenceville Road,
Lawrenceville, NJ, 08648, United States, moussourakis@rider.edu,
Cengiz Haksever
In this article, we give a comprehensive review of how classical supply chain
models evolve with advances in information technology. To show a possible solution to meet this present-day challenge, we propose a Virtual Distribution System
for suppliers to use in planning and the distribution of goods to customers over
the entire region who often demand that the products they order be delivered
promptly to their preferred destinations.
Determining order quantities in multi-item inventory systems is based mostly on
a fixed or an independent cycle approach, neither of which outperforms the
other at all times. In this paper, we examine a model that suggests which of the
two approaches is most cost-effective in the presence of a number of resource
limitations and all-units discounts.
5 - Inventory Placement Problem For A Capacitated Supply Chain
Chia-Shin Chung, Professor, Cleveland State University, 1860
E.18th Street, Cleveland, OH, 44114, United States,
c.chung@csuohio.edu, James Flynn, Piotr Stalinski
4 - Emergency Supply in a Two-Echelon Inventory System
Jian Kuai, National University of Singapore, MSc. Program, NUS
Business School, No. 1, Business Link, Singapore, 117592,
Singapore, g0202126@nus.edu.sg, Mabel Chou, Edwin Romeijn
Consider the inventory placement problem in a capacitated supply chain facing a
random demand of a short season. Demand can be satisfied from any stage. All
unsatisfied demand is lost. Because of delays, only a fraction of demand at a
stage will wait for shipments. There is a fixed cost for placing positive stocks at a
stage. The goal is to maximize the probability of achieving a budgeted profit
level. We characterize properties of optimal solutions and develop an algorithm
for computing it.
We consider a two-echelon inventory system. Each retailer faces a stochastic
demand and has an emergency supply option. We derive the optimal ordering
policy for the special case with only one retailer. We also consider two settings
with multiple retailers: incomplete and complete demand information for the
emergency supply decisions. Under the first setting, we find an iterative method
to obtain the optimal solution. Under the second setting, we have shown the
convexity of the cost function.
■ WA08
5 - Optimality & Nonoptimality of the Base-stock Policy in Inventory
Problems w/Multiple Delivery Modes
Suresh Sethi, Ashbel Smith Professor and Director of C4ISN,
University of Texas at Dallas, School of Management, SM30, P.O.
Box 830688, Richardson, TX, 75083-0688, United States,
sethi@utdallas.edu, Qi Feng, Guillermo Gallego, Houmin Yan,
Hanqin Zhang
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH300N
Urban Freight Transportation
Sponsor: Transportation and Logistics (Joint Sponsored/Invited)
Sponsored Session
Chair: Angelica Lozano, Researcher, Universidad Nacional Autonoma
de Mexico, Apdo Postal 70-472, Coyoacan, Mexico City, 04510,
Mexico, ALozanoC@iingen.unam.mx
We present a periodic review inventory model with multiple delivery modes and
demand forecast updates. We generalize the notion of the base-stock policy for
the model. Base-stock policies are optimal for the fastest two modes. We provide
simple counter examples to show that the base stock policies are not optimal for
97
WA09
CORS / INFORMS INTERNATIONAL— 2004
1 - Visions for City Logistics
Eiichi Taniguchi, Professor, Kyoto University, Department of
Urban Management, Kyoto University, Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyoku, Kyoto, JP, 606-8501, Japan,
taniguchi@kiban.kuciv.kyoto-u.ac.jp
ual success will be a careful balance of revenue management, marketing, and
efficient operations.
4 - Yield Management in a Hotel Chain
Ahmet Satir, Professor, Concordia University, John Molson School
of Business, Montréal, PQ, H3G 1M8, Canada, ats@vax2.concordia.ca, Jean-Francois Sanchez
This paper presents visions for city logistics. City logistics is the process to generate efficient and environmentally friendly urban freight transport systems.
Mobility, sustainability and liveability are three important targets to be considered in city logistics. Intelligent Transport Systems can play an important role for
decreasing total costs of delivery as well as alleviating congestion on urban road
network and reducing negative impacts on the environment in urban areas.
Organizational and technical aspects of yield management are discussed for a
hotel chain. Reservation modes used are presented. Performance measures in the
context of yield management are defined to study the impact of reservation
modes. Benefits for the hotel chain of using yield management practices are discussed.
2 - Short-term Fleet Operation Planning in a Two-tier City Logistics
System
Teodor Gabriel Crainic, Professor, Département management et
technologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 6192,
Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal (QC), H3C 4R2, Canada,
theo@crt.umontreal.ca, Nicoletta Ricciardi, Giovanni Storchi
■ WA10
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH303N
Public- and Private-Sector Facility Location
Sponsor: Location Analysis
Sponsored Session
Two-tier city logistics systems involve intermodal platforms and satellites within
the city where cargo is transferred to energy-efficient “small” city-freighters for
final delivery. We focuss on the short-term planning of operations. Following a
brief presentation of the model for the entire system, we focuss on the problem
of planning the operations of the fleet of city-freighters. Modeling and algorithmic challenges and development avenues are presented and disussed.
Chair: Michael Johnson, Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon
University, 5000 Forbes Ave., 2107C Hamburg Hall, Pittsburgh, PA,
15213-3890, United States, johnson2@andrew.cmu.edu
1 - One Facility Min-Max Location with Block Distances
Lin Dearing, Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences,
Clemson University, O-103 Martin Hall, Box 340975, Clemson,
SC, 29634-0975, United States, pmdrn@CLEMSON.EDU, Phantipa
Thipwiwatpotjana
3 - Bases for a Freight Transportation Program for the Metropolitan
Zone Of Mexico City
Angelica Lozano, Researcher, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de
Mexico, Apdo Postal 70-472, Coyoacan, Mexico City, 04510,
Mexico, ALozanoC@iingen.unam.mx, Juan Pablo Antun
One facility min-max location problems in R^n using block distance are analyzed
using the LP formulations of Ward and Wendell. Geometrical interpretations of
the LP formulations provide a dual based algorithm with extensions to Euclidean
distance.
This presentation shows recent results of four important parts of a Freight
Transportation Program, which is been developed for the Metropolitan Zone of
Mexico City (MZMC). The four parts are: 1) a Base Origin-Destination (O-D)
Matrix for Freight Transportation; 2) the main Metropolitan Freight
Transportation Corridors; 3) the bases for a policy for the development of Logistic
Platforms; and 4) a Geographic Information System (GIS) for the freight transportation system of the MZMC.
2 - Optimum Positioning of Base Stations in a Mobile Wireless
Network with Stochastic Demand
Robert Aboolian, Assistant Professor, California State University
San Marcos, College of Business Administration, San Marcos, CA,
92096, United States, raboolia@csusm.edu, Sheldon Lou
■ WA09
Location of base stations in a wireless network, have a significant role on the
performance of the network. We will formulate a set of models which will optimize the location of base stations for cellular radio networks assuming a stochastic demand.
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH301N
Revenue Management/Pricing
Contributed Session
3 - Location of Fire Stations in a Fiscally Constrained Environment
Amy Wendholt, Master’s Candidate, H. John Heinz III School of
Public Policy and Management, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000
Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213-3890, United States, awendhol@andrew.cmu.edu, Michael Johnson
Chair: Ahmet Satir, Professor, Concordia University, John Molson
School of Business, Montréal, PQ, H3G 1M8, Canada, ats@vax2.concordia.ca
1 - The Effects of Consumer Behavior on Optimal Booking Limits
Sang Won Kim, PhD Candidate, Richard Ivey School of Business,
1151 Richmond Street North, University of Western Ontario,
London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada, swkim@ivey.uwo.ca, John Wilson
We develop planning models based on set-covering and maximum-covering
models to identify the location and type of fire stations to meet service needs at
minimum cost. Safety considerations result in multiple-coverage constraints.
Computational results indicate significant potential savings as compared to current service provision strategies. We address computational considerations and
data aggregation errors associated with alternative formulations.
With the increasing focus in decision making systems, Revenue Management is
an area which has received a great deal of interest in recent years. Consumers
are being aware of strategies used by airlines to set prices. We investigate how an
airline company should adapt its strategy for deciding booking limits if customers
behave strategically and sometimes postpone purchasing in the hope that a
cheaper ticket will become available.
4 - Planning Models for the Provision of Affordable Housing
Michael Johnson, Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University,
5000 Forbes Ave., 2107C Hamburg Hall, Pittsburgh, PA, 152133890, United States, johnson2@andrew.cmu.edu
2 - The Impact of Imperfect “Fences” on Revenues under Aggressive
Revenue Management
Michael Zhang, Ivey School of Business, University of Western
Ontario, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada, mzhang@ivey.uwo.ca
This paper presents multi-objective math optimization models that identify the
location and size of rental and owner-occupied housing developments for lowincome families. These models balance need versus availability, and benefits and
costs of affordable housing. Current results focus on tradeoffs between efficiency
and equity measures and computational challenges for alternative model formulations, using on more realistic estimates of structural parameters than have been
previously available.
Market segmentation is a key strategic element in the practice of Revenue
Management. After being identified, market segments should be kept separate to
prevent spillover from high priced segments to low priced segments. Tools to
restrict customer migration across segments are referred to as “fences”. We investigate the impact when a fence does not perfectly isolate the customer segments,
and characterize the structure of optimal fences when demand is stochastic and a
function of prices.
■ WA11
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH305N
3 - Revenue Management from a “Low Cost” Company’s
Perspective
Montgomery Blair, Director Of Science, Dollar Thrifty Automotive
Group, Inc., 5330 East 31st Street, CIMS 7155, Tulsa, OK, 74135,
United States, montgomery.blair@dtag.com
Reverse Logistics Network Design
Cluster: Reverse Logistics
Invited Session
Chair: Vedat Verter, Associate Professor, McGill University, 1001
Sherbrooke Street W., Montréal, PQ, H3A 1G5, Canada,
Vedat.Verter@mcgill.ca
There is growing interest in the “low cost” business model, but how does revenue management fit with this? This presentation will discuss RM and pricing
from a low-cost company’s perspective in the rental car industry. Specifically,
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, a Fortune 1,000 company, has posted continuous annual profits while several competitors went bankrupt. A key to the contin-
1 - Hierarchical Planning of Reverse Logistics Networks: Application
to the Case of Direct Reuse
Zhiqiang Lu,Département d’Automatique et Productique, Ecole
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CORS / INFORMS INTERNATIONAL — 2004
des Mines de Nantes, La Chantrerie, 4 rue Alfred Kastler, BP
20722, 44307 Nantes cedex 3, France, Zhiqiang.Lu@emn.fr
WA15
States, hpsimao@princeton.edu, Warren Powell, Jeff Day
We use informational decomposition, approximate dynamic programming and
hierarchichal data aggregation, combined in an optimizing simulator, to solve the
problem of dynamically allocating resources in large transportation networks.
From this approach, we can estimate the marginal value of resources in the system. We report the results of numerical experiments designed to verify the accuracy of these values in the prediction of changes in the objective function.
After a brief introduction to the basic concepts of reverse logistics, we present the
principles of hierarchical planning and the application to the case of a logistics
system including reverse flows: direct reuse. In the context of the hierarchical
planning framework, we present the strategic model consisting of finding the
best location for the production facilities, and the tactical model to optimize flows
while taking into account the necessary correlation with the strategic decisions.
5 - Timetable Synchronization for Mass Transit
Janny Leung, Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong,
Systems Engineering & Eng. Mgt. Department, CUHK, Shatin, NT,
Hong Kong, janny@se.cuhk.edu.hk, Rachel Wong
2 - Improving a Reverse Supply Chain using Designed Experiments
Edmund Prater, United States, eprater@uta.edu, Markus Biehl,
Matthew Realff
Reverse Logistics (RL) is different from forward logistics in that it is more complex and prone to a higher degree of uncertainty. Tools typically used for designing forward supply chains are not suitable for defining reverse supply chains. In
this article, we identify factors critical to the design of a carpet reverse supply
chain, including the number of collection centers and the type of forecasting system. We then simulate the RL supply chain and use a designed experiment to
analyze the impact of the design factors as well as environmental factors impacting the operational performance of the RL system.
In public transport systems, passengers would like to interchange between different lines with minimal delay. We propose a mixed-integer-programming model
for designing timetables to minimize interchange waiting-times of all passengers.
A novelty in our formulation is the correct representation of waiting-times for
the “next available” train, using binary variables. Preliminary numerical results
indicate significant improvements in synchronization over current practice.
■ WA15
3 - Retail-Collection Network Design under Deposit-Refund
Vedat Verter, Associate Professor, McGill University, 1001
Sherbrooke Street W., Montréal, PQ, H3A 1G5, Canada,
Vedat.Verter@mcgill.ca, Rico Wojanowski, Tamer Boyaci
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH12S
E-Commerce I
Contributed Session
We present a continuous modeling framework for designing a drop-off facility
network and determining the sales price that maximize the firm’s profit under a
given deposit-refund. The customers’ preferences with regards to purchasing and
returning the product are incorporated via a discrete choice model with stochastic utilities. Through parametric analyses, we determine the net value that can be
recovered from a returned product as a key driver for the firm to voluntarily
engage in collection.
Chair: Miao Zhang, Msc Student, National University of Singapore,
Department of Decision Sciences, Singapore, Singapore,
g0201927@nus.edu.sg
1 - Consumers’ Decision Making in Online Auctions: A Neural
Network Approach
Ying Lan, University of Mississippi, PO Box 1342, Department of
Economics, University, MS, 38677, United States, jwhou@olemiss.edu, Jianwei Hou
■ WA12
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH307N
One primary advantage of neural networks over statistical models is that NNs can
automatically estimate whatever function forms that best fit the data. Because of
this property, NNs are used to analyze consumers’ online bidding behaviors. We
begin with basic concepts of NNs and statistical models. Based on the online bidding date, we then compare NNs to some statistical models on the basis of the
prediction accuracy and error measures. Finally, we summarize the advantages
and limitations of NNs.
Routing
Contributed Session
Chair: Janny Leung, Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong,
Systems Engineering & Eng. Mgt. Department, CUHK, Shatin, NT,
Hong Kong, janny@se.cuhk.edu.hk
1 - A Freight Route Planner for Intermodal Transportation
Michael Pedersen, Ph.D. Student, CTT, Tech. University of
Denmark, DTU, Bygning 115, Kgs. Lyngby, 2300, Denmark,
mbp@ctt.dtu.dk, Per Homann Jespersen, Jesper Aastrup
2 - Fusing Old And New Economies: The Important Role Of
Operations In Retail E-Commerce
Patricia Nemetz, Professor, Eastern Washington University, 668
North Riverpoint Boulevard, Suite A, Spokane, WA, 99109,
United States, pnemetzmills@ewu.edu
This talk presents the development of a freight route planner for intermodal
transportation. Based on cooperation with the rail operator Railion Danmark we
have identified organizational barriers to the establishment of a competitive combined transport system with rail freight operators as the intermodal integrator.
We shall present the concepts behind the design of the route planner, the levels
of implementation and the methodology used.
The “old economy” practices so important to operations may now take on more
importance as they fuse with the “new economy” information revolution. The
purpose of this study is to suggest possible determinants of e-commerce success
by exploring the physical operations of several e-commerce enterprises, presenting a taxonomy of e-commerce operations strategies, and discussing issues to
consider when making operations decision choices.
2 - Evaluation Framework and Solution Strategies for Traveling
Salesman Problems Under Real-Time Info
Ta-Yin Hu, Professor, Department of Traffic and Transportation
Engineering, 100 Wenhua Road, Feng Chia University, Taichung,
407, Taiwan, tyhu@fcu.edu.tw, Peter Chung
3 - Complementary Commercial Communicator System (3COMSys):
A New e-Commerce Service
Mahdi Jalili-Kharaajoo, Student, Young Resaerchers Club, Azad
University, tehran, Iran, P.O. Box: 14395/1355, tehran, 14395,
Iran, mahdijalili@ece.ut.ac.ir
This research proposes an evaluation framework for dynamic vehicle routings
problems, and examines possible solution approaches. Possible TSP solution
strategies under real-time information are discussed, and two approaches are
considered, meta-heuristic approach and mathematical programming based
approach. The first approach primarily follows SVRP methods to develop mathematic problems. In the heuristic approach, two methods, including a saving
method and a tabu search method, are proposed.
In this paper we present a new complementary method, help businesses to better
identify their customers’ favorites and necessities. This service is an interactive
multi-agent customer-to-business and customer relationship management e-service, which is offered with a pay-perperformance format, directly originated
through commercial sites or in collaboration with search engines and web directories.
4 - Adoption of Business-to-Business Electronic Commerce in China
Miao Zhang, Msc Student, National University of Singapore,
Department of Decision Sciences, Singapore, Singapore,
g0201927@nus.edu.sg, Thompson Teo, Mark Goh
3 - Multiobjective Optimization of the Vehicle Assignment Problem
Jacek Zak, Assistant Professor, Poznan University of Technology, 3
Piotrowo Street, Poznan, 60-965, Poland,
jzak@uclink.berkeley.edu
The advent of Internet-based business-to-business electronic commerce (B2B-EC)
has brought about many benefits to global enterprises. This study examines B2BEC adoption in mainland China. Based on previous IS adoption research and
institutional theory, this study proposes a model incorporating three factors: perceived benefits, cognitive constraints and institutional pressures as main predictors of B2B-EC adoption intention.
A vehicle assignment problem is formulated as a multiobjective combinatorial
optimization problem. Contradictory interests of passengers and company’s
shareholders are considered. A two-phase solution procedure is proposed. In the
first phase a multiple objective hybrid metaheuristic procedure is used to generate a sample of Pareto-optimal solutions. In the second phase an interactive,
multicriteria method is utilized, to review and evaluate this sample and find a
compromise solution.
4 - Predicting the Value of Resources in Large Transportation
Networks
Hugo Simao, Research Staff, CASTLE Lab - Princeton University,
ORFE Department - EQUAD E-316, Princeton, NJ, 08540, United
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■ WA18
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH17S
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH25S
Data Mining II
Intelligent Systems
Contributed Session
Contributed Session
Chair: Abhijit Sanyal, Independent Consultant, Sancorp, 3 North
Street, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States, asanyal@rcn.com
Chair: Robin Burk, Instructor, United States Military Academy, 413
Mahan Hall, West Point, NY, 10996, United States,
Robin.Burk@usma.edu
1 - Applications of Data, Web and Text Mining in Forest Products
Industry
Irina Neaga, PostDoctoral Researcher, Forac Research Consortium,
University Laval, Pavillon Pouliot, Québec, Qc, G1K 7P4, Canada,
Irina.Elena-Neaga@forac.ulaval.ca, Jean-Marc Frayret, Sophie
D’Amours
1 - In-Process Estimation of Radial Immersion Angle using Cutting
Force in Face Milling
Deokki Choi, Associate Professor, Kangung National University,
Department of Precision Mechanical Eng., 123, Jibyeong Dong,
Kangnung, KW, 210-702, South Korea, choidk@kangnung.ac.kr,
Seong Jun Kim, Won Tae Kwon
Data, web and text mining are emerging areas for intelligent processing of large
amounts of data included in databases, web server logs, cookies and text files.
The related complex algorithms, methods and techniques have been extensively
researched as statistical, and computer science areas. However there is still a need
to approach the application of data, web and text mining in several engineering
areas such as forest products industry. This research deals with these aspects.
An on-line estimation method of the radial immersion angle using cutting force
is presented. The ratio of cutting forces in feed and cross-feed directions acting on
the single tooth is a function of the immersion angle and the ratio of radial to
tangential cutting force. It is found that the ratio of radial to tangential cutting
force is not affected by cutting conditions. Consequently, using the measured cutting force and predetermined ratio, the radial immersion ratio is estimated in
process.
2 - Application of Data Mining Techniques in University Timetabling
Hamid Maydanchi, Senior SAP Consultant, Manchester
Metropolitan University, 1 Brabant Rd, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport,
SK8 7AU, United Kingdom, hamid@maydanchi.com
2 - Intellectualized Design Techniques for Product Maintainability in
China
Quan Shi, Shiquan, Maintenance Engneering Institute, No. 97,
West Heping Road, Shijiazhuang, Mechanical Engineering College,
Shijiazhuang, 050003, China, shiquan@heinfo.net, Gang Wei
The goal of the timetabling data mining project at the UMIST is to develop a system to enable better decision support applications. This paper is a summary of
the current functionality and architecture of the timetabling data mining System.
Our overall approach has been to identify basic data mining operations that cut
across applications and develop fast, scalable algorithms for their execution.
Maintainability is a critical quality attribute for production. Based upon the two
guideline lecture namely “maintainability design criterion” and “complication of
maintainability design technique”, an intellectualized architecture for combining
case-based reasoning, rule-based reasoning and data mining is discussed in this
paper by analyzing maintainability design procedure to the thought of our solving the maintainability design problem.
3 - Estimating the Profitability Risk in a Customer Portfolio using a
Monte Carlo Approach
Abhijit Sanyal, Independent Consultant, Sancorp, 3 North Street,
Lexington, MA, 02420, United States, asanyal@rcn.com
3 - Weblogs as Dynamic Value Models
Robin Burk, Instructor, United States Military Academy, 413
Mahan Hall, West Point, NY, 10996, United States,
Robin.Burk@usma.edu
A firm’s customers are the intangible assets of the firm and can be viewed as a
portfolio of assets that needs to be actively valued, measured and subsequently
managed to achieve the profitability goals of the firm. Using simulation methodology from financial credit risk management and Monte Carlo techniques I will
illustrate alternative and potentially new ways to arrive at an understanding of
customer value which is usually the first step for a typical CRM consulting project.
We examine weblogs as value models associated with information gathered from
remote, potentially unreliable and often anonymous sources. By identifying how
bloggers dynamically assign measures of utility, reliability and relevance to information, we explore principles that may be of use in constructing intelligent
agents which associate measures of value with automated data and utilize those
value models in automated decisionmaking.
■ WA17
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH24S
Analytic Hierarchy Process
■ WA19
Contributed Session
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH28S
Chair: Mischel Carmen Neyra Belderrain, Instituto Tecnologico de
Aeronautica, Caixa Postal 6022 - CTA, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP,
12231-970, Brazil, carmen@mec.ita.br
Military Applications - OR Support to Land Forces
Sponsor: Military Applications Society
Sponsored Session
1 - Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) in AHP
Saul I. Gass, Professor Emeritus, Robert H. Smith School of
Business, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20854,
United States, sgass@rhsmith.umd.edu, Tamas Rapcsak
Chair: Lise Arseneau, Canada, arseneau@ora.dnd.ca
1 - Operational Research Support to NATO SCI-095 Task Group
“Enhancement of Camouflage Assessment Techni
Lise Arseneau, Canada, arseneau@ora.dnd.ca
Using the SVD and the theory of low rank approximations of a (pairwise comparison) matrix, we offer a new approach for determining the associated weights.
We prove that the rank one left and right singular vectors yield theoretically justified weights. We suggest the Frobenius norm as an inconsistency measure.
The NATO SCI-095 Task Group “Enhancement of Camouflage Assessment
Techniques” was established in February 2001. One of their tasks was to compare
the results obtained from field trials with those obtained from photosimulation
experiments. This presentation will explain several camouflage assessment techniques and describe the statistical procedures used to analyze the data. The comparison between the results from the Camouflage Assessment Trial and the photosimulation experiment will be given.
2 - Multicriteria Model for Prioritizing Projects at Aeronautical
Industry
Mischel Carmen Neyra Belderrain, Instituto Tecnologico de
Aeronautica, Caixa Postal 6022 - CTA, Sao Jose dos Campos, SP,
12231-970, Brazil, carmen@mec.ita.br, Wagner Schneider
2 - OR Support for Canadian Solder Modernization
Melanie Bernier, Canada, bernier@ora.dnd.ca
Evaluating and prioritizing projects is a complex and unstructured decision problem. Decision-makers must consider a wealth of information concerning cost savings, process enhancement, reliability and implementation among others.The
purpose of this research is to use Analytic Hierarchy Process.This method is
applied to establish project priorities within an aeronautical industry. A Decision
Analysis procedure for establishing project priorities, based on AHP, is proposed.
Technological growth is changing not only military operations, but has led to
many studies on soldier modernization to identify effective technologies that will
enhance the operational performance of the dismounted solder under a range of
expected mission/task scenarios and conditions of use. We will examine how an
interactive wargame can be used to overcome this challenge and provide valuable insight on the utility of the technologies and combinations thereof.
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WA26
tion modeling approaches that satisfy the efficiency and feasibility criteria, but
are ill equipped to incorporate uncertainty inherent in planning inputs (eg. forest
inventories, market demands, etc). We present a framework to assess the robustness of an operational plan using a stochastic model that simulates the implementation process.
Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC102
Accessibility and Quality of Health Services in Latin
America
3 - A Simulation Model for the Growth and Suppression of Large
Forest Fires in Ontario
Justin Podur, PhD Candidate, University of Toronto Faculty of
Forestry, Faculty of Forestry, 33 Willcocks St, Toronto, ON, M5S
3B3, Canada, justin.podur@utoronto.ca, David Martell
Sponsor: Health Applications/Healthcare (Joint Sponsored/Invited)
Sponsored Session
Chair: Mario Jorge Ferreira de Oliveira, Professor, Federal University of
Rio de Janeiro, Caixa Postal 68507, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21945-970,
Brazil, mario_jo@PEP.UFRJ.BR
A fire that escapes initial attack can become a large project fire. There are numerous simulation models of initial attack systems that have been studied in more
detail than project fires. We describe a model for the suppression of project fires.
Its inputs are weather, fuel and fire suppression resource data and it predicts
annual area burned. The model can be used for simulating the effect of different
suppression policies and weather scenarios on annual area burned.
1 - A Multi-User Simulation of an Emergency Admission System of a
Brazilian Public Hospital
Adriana Bandeira Moraes, PhD Student, Federal University of Rio
de Janeiro, Caixa Postal 68507, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21945-970,
United States, Adrianabandeira@ibge.gov.br, M.J.F. De Oliveira
■ WA25
The objective of this paper is to contribute towards the improvement of the
admission system of a major emergency hospital in Rio de Janeiro. A 3D multiuser simulation of a public hospital queue is developed in a virtual space, where
users have the chance to interact with each other. One expects that this exercise
convey a contribution to furthering understanding of this chronic and complex
problem that occurs in Brazilian hospitals.
Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC202
Statistics/Quality Control
Contributed Session
Chair: Hancong Liu, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alberta,
Department of Chem. and Matt. Engg, U. of A., Edmonton, AB,
T6H5B5, Canada, hancong@ualberta.ca
2 - The Asymmetric Geographical Aspects of the Brazilian
Supplemental Health Assistance System
Anibal Ignacio, PhD Student, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro,
Caixa Postal 68507, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21945-970, Brazil, avilcap@pep.ufrj.br, Elton Fernandes, Lea Maria Dantas Sampaio,
Heloisa Márcia Pires Capobianco
1 - A Joint SPC Monitoring Scheme for APC-Controlled Processes
Wei Jiang, Assistant Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology,
Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken, NJ, 07030, United States,
wjiang@stevens.edu
The health services assistance in Brazil is either public or private. Among the private services are the health supplemental companies. This article discusses the
state of the supplemental assistance at municipal and state levels by using a geographic information system and socioeconomic indicators. The results reveal a
hard geographical asymmetry on the health supplementary assistance system in
the country.
SPC techniques have been proposed to integrate with APC schemes for continuous quality improvement. To monitor an APC-controlled process, this paper proposes a univariate approach to combine the information provided by both
process output and input control action based on a UMP test. The proposed control chart can be customized for monitoring an linearly controlled process with
an optimal efficiency in transient or steady state.
3 - An Integrated Information System to the Management of Cancer
treatment
Antonio Augusto Gonçalves, Systems Manager, Instituto Nacional
do Câncer, Praçda da Cruz Vermelha 23 third floor, Rio de Janeiro,
RJ, Brazil, augusto@inca.gov.br, M.J.F. De Oliveira, Altino Leitão
2 - Robust Parameter Design of Machining Process with Multiple
Performance Variables
Seong Jun Kim, Associate Professor, Kangnung National
University, Department of Industrial Engineering, 123, Jibyeon
Dong, Gangneung, KW, 210-702, South Korea,
sjkim@kangnung.ac.kr, Deokki Choi
This paper describes the development and the implementation of an integrated
information system designed for the Brazilian National Cancer Institute. The system provides secure access to key information about treatment process and
intends to bridge the gap between the doctor, the manager and the patient. The
goal is to provide, in real time, an accurate disease status and to evaluate the
treatment flow process. This system is proven to be a useful tool for decisionmaking.
Taguchi’s robust parameter design as a method for quality improvement has
received much attention from industrial fields over the last twenty years. But
most of works on robust parameter design have been done for the case of single
performance variable. It is not difficult to meet the problem where multiple performance variables should be considered. In this paper some techniques to deal
with such situations are presented. An illustration is also given by machining
process example.
■ WA23
Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC104
3 - Statistical Monitoring of Multirate Sampled Data Systems
Hancong Liu, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alberta,
Department of Chem. and Matt. Engg, U. of A., Edmonton, AB,
T6H5B5, Canada, hancong@ualberta.ca, Sirish Shah
Forest Management Planning
Cluster: OR in Forestry/ENRE-Forestry (Joint Sponsored/Invited)
Invited Session
In recent years both Statistical Process Control for auto-correlated processes and
multirate sampled data process control have received a great deal of attention,
due in part to the increasing prevalence of autocorrelated and multirate sampled
data. We propose a statistical monitoring scheme for multirate sampled data for
dynamic systems with naturally auto-correlated data. The scheme involves monitoring using Hotelling’s T2 statistic for a multivariate vector formed by the lifting
technique.
Chair: David Martell, Professor, University of Toronto, Faculty of
Forestry, 33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B3, Canada,
martell@smokey.forestry.utoronto.ca
1 - Clustering in Forest Management Zone Design with a Tabu
Search Algorithm
Emina Krcmar, University of British Columbia, Forest Economics
and Policy Analysis, Vancouver, BC, Canada, ekrcmar@interchange.ubc.ca, G. Cornelis van Kooten, Snezana Mitrovic-Minic,
Ilan Vertinsky
■ WA26
Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC301
Negotiation Support Systems
Forest zoning involves spatial segregation between production and protection.
Large non-fragmented forest reserves are ecologically desirable and larger clusters
of timber production areas are considered economically efficient. An integer programming formulation of the forest management zone design problem will be
presented that explicitly addresses clustering of both timber production and forest
reserves. Performance of a tabu search algorithm for various clustering methods
will be discussed.
Sponsor: Group Decision and Negotiation
Sponsored Session
Chair: Mareike Schoop, RWTH Aachen, Informatik V (Information
Systems), Ahornstr. 55, Aachen, 52056, Germany, schoop@informatik.rwth-aachen.de
2 - Analysis of Robustness of Forest Operational Plans
Jason Myers, MSC Candidate, University of New Brunswick,
Faculty of Forestry, PO Box 44555, Fredericton, NB, E3B6C2,
Canada, l58jz@unb.ca, Evelyn Richards
1 - Challenges Facing the Development of Negotiation Support
Systems for Non-Monolithic Parties
Willy Picard, Department of Information Technology, The Poznan
University of Economics, Mansfelda 4, Poznan, 60-854, Poland,
picard@kti.ae.poznan.pl
Forest operations management aims to produce plans that are feasible, efficient
and robust. Operational planners have relied on various mathematical optimiza-
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Research Department, Glasgow Hall 211, Monterey, CA, 93943,
United States, RRosenthal@nps.navy.mil
Negotiation support systems traditionally assume that parties involved in the
negotiation process are monolithic, i.e. each party is a unitary decisional entity.
In this paper, we aim at identifying the challenges facing the development of
negotiation support systems for non-monolithic parties. The implications of the
introduction of non-monolithic parties are studied in three areas: data structure,
negotiation protocols, and analysis of the negotiation process.
Practical optimization applications continue to be bigger, more complex, closer to
real-time, less dependent on OR gurus, and more depended upon by organizations of all kinds. We have many great researchers and commercial implementers
to thank for the remarkable advances in computers and solvers that make this
possible, but there is another big part of the story, which is sometimes overlooked: good modeling practice. This talk will recommend some keys to successful optimization modeling.
2 - Content, Process, and Interaction Analysis of Web-based
Negotiations
Sabine Koeszegi, University of Vienna, Bruennerstrasse 72,
Vienna, A, 1210, Austria, sabine.koeszegi@univie.ac.at, Katharina
Srnka, Eva-Maria Pesendorfer, Gregory Kersten
2 - Problem Solving in Airline Operations: Marrying End-user
Modeling and Large Scale Optimization
Stefan Karisch, Carmen Systems, 1800 McGill College Ave., Ste.
2800, Montréal, H3A 3J6, Canada,
stefan.karisch@carmensystems.com, Anders Forsman
This study analyzes web-based negotiations conducted with two e-negotiation
platforms which differ considerably with regard to implemented support features.
By applying content analysis we (1) identify particularities of negotiation
processes of each system, (2) analyze the impact of the support system on negotiation behavior, (3) compare negotiation behavior with regard to user characteristics, and (4) identify negotiation behavior and/or patterns, which increase the
probability of agreements.
Airline planning and operations problems are complex and require detailed and
accurate modeling to be solved efficiently and effectively. The challenge for optimization systems is to be able to adapt timely to a changing environment and to
model and solve the changed problems accurately. We describe a special purpose
modeling system and its application in airline planning and operations. We give
concrete examples of this successful marriage of end-user modeling and large
scale optimization.
3 - Integrating Communication and Decision Support for Effective
Negotiation Support Systems
Mareike Schoop, RWTH Aachen, Informatik V (Information
Systems), Ahornstr. 55, Aachen, 52056, Germany, schoop@informatik.rwth-aachen.de, Frank Koehne, Dirk Staskiewicz
3 - Optimization in Distributed Applications: Provide Web-Based
Services with XML/SOAP
Bjarni Kristjansson, President, Maximal Software, Inc., 2111
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700, Arlington, VA, 22201, United States,
bjarni@maximalsoftware.com
Negotiation Support Systems (NSSs) support negotiators in complex negotiations.
On the one hand, there should be sufficient flexibility for the negotiators to
express rich communicative content. Thus, communication management is
essential. On the other hand, negotiators require decision support in complex
negotiations. We argue that there must be an integration of communication and
decision support in order to design effective NSSs. Our arguments will be exemplified using the NSS Negoisst.
In this presentation we will explore how innovative new technologies, such as
XML and SOAP, are creating new opportunities for solving optimization problems
within distributed applications. We will demonstrate how optimization and modeling services can be packaged into component libraries based on industry standards such as ActiveX/Com and JavaBeans. This allows seamless integration of
optimization into easily maintainable applications.
4 - Negotiating Production and Delivery Schedules in a Supply Chain
Andreas Ernst, Research Scientist, CSIRO Mathematical &
Information Sciences, Private Bag 10, Clayton, Vi, 3168, Australia,
Andreas.Ernst@cmis.csiro.au, Simon Dunstall, Lam Lam
■ WB03
This talk considers an abstracted version of the following scenario that commonly
occurs in supply chains: A manufacturer and a distributor need to agree on the
size and timing of orders. We present an attempt to negotiate good schedules that
take into account both the manufacturing and trucking limitations without either
side having to reveal their internal data and constraints. The negotiation is an
iterative process with each party solving scheduling problems to generate and
evaluate offers.
Max Bell Building- MB252
Wednesday 10:00-11:30 am
1 - A Tensor-Product Approach for Bivariate Cubic L1 Splines
Yong Wang, Ph.D. Candidate, North Carolina State University,
North Carolina State University, IE Department, Campus Box
7906, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7906, United States,
ywang16@eos.ncsu.edu, John Lavery, Shu-Cherng Fang,
Yuan-Shin Lee
Optimization Techniques II
Contributed Session
Chair: Anne Liret, Research & Development Scientist, British Telecom /
BT Exact - Intelligent Systems Lab, BT France - immeuble Jean
Monnet, 11, place des Vosges, Paris, 92061, France, anne.liret@bt.com
■ WB01
Max Bell Building- Auditorium
Analyzing Infeasible Optimization Models
In this paper, we propose an efficient approximation mechanism, called tensorproduct approach, to generate bivariate cubic L1 splines by using the first order
information obtained from corresponding univariate cubic L1 splines. This
approach not only produces “good” approximation to the true cubic L1 splines,
but also shows its potential for handling large scale problems. Some computational results are presented.
Cluster: Tutorials-CORS/INFORMS 2004
Invited Session
1 - Analyzing Infeasible Optimization Models
John Chinneck, Professor, Carleton University, Systems &
Computer Engineering, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S
5B6, Canada, chinneck@sce.carleton.ca
2 - Constraint Programming Models
Pawel Radzikowski, The Reference, 177 Main St #108, Fort Lee,
United States, pawelr@aol.com
Infeasibility is frequent in the early stages of developing a complex optimization
model. For linear programs, algorithmic tools that assist in the analysis of infeasibility are well developed, and are available in most commercial LP solvers. The
tutorial will focus on these, with the goal of helping modellers make the most
effective use of the available tools. In addition, we will briefly explore the state of
the art in infeasibility analysis for integer and nonlinear programs, and will also
survey how infeasibility analysis algorithms are proving useful in unexpected
ways in applications such as data mining and logic programming.
Constraints appeared in the seventies as an AI (Artificial Intelligence) technique.
Since they are applied in many areas to handle the combinatorial model elements. The solution process under CP adds a loop over the constraints, interactively executing a traditional solution algorithm. The term Constraint
Programming (CP) is not applied to methods that use similar approaches but predate AI or were not inspired by it (ex. cutting planes, some mixed LP problems).
The discusses uses of CP models.
3 - iSchedule: A Constraint and Heuristic Search-Based Toolkit to
Solve Scheduling Applications
Anne Liret, Research & Development Scientist, British Telecom /
BT Exact - Intelligent Systems Lab, BT France - immeuble Jean
Monnet, 11, place des Vosges, Paris, 92061, France,
anne.liret@bt.com, Raphael Dorne, Chris Voudouris
■ WB02
Max Bell Building- MB251
Optimization Modeling in Practice I
Cluster: Math Programming
Invited Session
Despite their proven efficiency, metaheuristics often require complete re-engineering to solve new problems. To address this issue, the Optimization Toolkit
iOpt provides problem modelling and solving facilities, where a constraint processing supports heuristic search operations. Extending iOpt, the iSchedule toolkit assists non-expert users in modelling scheduling applications. Both have been
successfully used by BT to develop efficient solutions in transports, logistics and
telecommunications.
Chair: Bjarni Kristjansson, President, Maximal Software, Inc., 2111
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700, Arlington, VA, 22201, United States,
bjarni@maximalsoftware.com
1 - Some Keys to Success for Optimization Modeling
Rick Rosenthal, Professor, Naval Postgraduate School, Operations
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■ WB04
WB07
work structure according to our conceptual framework via the calculation of just
a few key independent variables. The derived structural equations can be used
on an ongoing basis for monitoring the appropriateness of the facility network
structure and deciding on structural shifts needed in response to market or environmental changes.
Max Bell Building- MB253
Mathematical/Heuristic Optimization Techniques for
VLSI CAD Design
3 - A Case Study Investigation of Quality Program usage in
Maquiladoras
Terri Friel, Associate Professor, Butler University, 4600 Sunset
Avenue, Indianapolis, ID, 46260, United States, tfriel@butler.edu
Sponsor: Optimization
Sponsored Session
Chair: Shawki Areibi, Associate Professor, University of Guelph, School
of Engineering, Albert Thornborough Building #159, Guelph, On, N1G
2W1, Canada, sareibi@uoguelph.ca
Four different maquiladoras in the garment industry of Aguascalientes, Mexico
were researched for their usage of quality tools and treatment of employees.
Extensive tours were taken as well as 2 hour interviews of the plant managers
and quality managers, if they existed. This preliminary study was to develop contacts as well as a foundation for future research in this area. Results and conclusions of quality tool usage in Mexican maquiladoras are presented.
1 - Efficient Optimization Techniques for Low Power Design
Shawki Areibi, Associate Professor, University of Guelph, School
of Engineering, Albert Thornborough Building #159, Guelph, On,
N1G 2W1, Canada, sareibi@uoguelph.ca
■ WB07
Reducing power dissipation is one of the most important issues in VLSI design
today. Several heuristic techniques for efficient gate clustering in MTCMOS circuits will be introduced by modeling the problem via Bin-Packing (BP) and SetPartitioning (SP) techniques. Results obtained indicate that our proposed techniques can achieve on average 84\% savings for leakage power and 12\% savings for dynamic power.
TransCanada Pavilion- PAV202
Supply Chain Management V
Contributed Session
Chair: Yue Dai, Ph. D student, Industrial Engineering,NC State
University, 3925 #c, Marcom st, Raleigh, NC, 27606, United States,
ydai2@eos.ncsu.edu
2 - Congestion Based Models for Combined VLSI Placement and
Routing
Laleh Behjat, Assistant Professor, University of Calgary, Electrical
Engineering, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada,
laleh@enel.ucalgary.ca
1 - A Diagnostic Analysis Tool for Supply Chain Improvement
Bernardo Villarreal, Dr., Universidad de Monterrey, Ave. I.
Morones Prieto 4500 Pte., San Pedro Garza Garcia, 66238,
Mexico, bvillarreal@udem.edu.mx, Dulce Gonzalez, Pamela
Madero
In this research, a method based on combined placement and routing of VLSI circuits is presented. First, an initial placement is determined for the cells and a
congesting estimation technique is developed to estimate the congested areas in a
circuit. Then, heuristic techniques are developed to improve the layout of the circuit by moving the cells from the congested areas to the less congested areas.
Supply chain continuous improvement has become a necessary strategy for businesses to attain the required performance level to compete worldwide. This project is concerned with a scheme for supply chain improvement developed for a
Mexican company that fabricates and distributes aluminum profiles. The conceptual model is described and applied with particular emphasis in the diagnostic
stage. Results of the project are also presented.
3 - An Integer Linear Programming Model for VLSI Partitioning
Anthony Vannelli, Professor/Chair, University of Waterloo, electrical and computer engineering, Waterloo, On, Canada,
vannelli@cheetah.vlsi.uwaterloo.ca, Dorthy Kucar
2 - A Multi-Product, Multi-Constraint, Single-Period Distribution
(MMSD) Model
V. Venkata Rao, Professor, Indian Institute of Managememt, Wing
- 4 ‘B’, IIMA, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, 380015, India,
vvrao@iimahd.ernet.in, Devanath Tirupati, Satyendra Kumar
Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits are designed so that the time it takes
an electrical signal to travel from one end to another is minimized. In order that
electrical signals propagate efficiently from sources to sinks, it is imperative that
the constituent parts of the circuit, the cells, be placed on the chip such that the
wiring cost is made as small as possible. One such problem involves placing cells
that perform related tasks in proximity to one another. If the cells are modelled
as vertices and the electrical signals connecting them as edges, then this is known
as the partitioning problem. The goal in partitioning is to assign a similar number
of vertices to two blocks such that the number of edges with endpoints in both
blocks (i.e., the net-cut) is minimized. In our talk, we formulate partitioning as
an integer linear program and solve it to optimality, thereby obtaining exact partitioning solutions with fixed vertices for the first time. We pinpoint precisely
what it is that makes partitioning NP-hard and show how by intelligently assigning the fixed vertices to blocks, we can simplify the problem considerably. A new
integer linear programming model allows us to find vertex assignments that
result in the smallest possible net-cut.
This paper addresses the inventory allocation and vehicle routing problem of a
manufacturing company / central warehouse serving multiple retailers dealing
with multiple products. This problem being NP-hard, a multi-stage heuristic
method has been developed to solve the model. Each stage is concerned with
one of the five sub-problems into which the original problem is decomposed.
Various experiments were conducted to test the performance of the heuristic
solutions, which were quite encouraging.
3 - Automated Negotiation Based Supply Chain Planning For
Distributor-Oriented Supply Chain
Bongju Jeong, Associate Professor, Yonsei University, Department
of Industrial Systems Eng., 134 Shinchon-dong, Seodaemoon-ku,
Seoul, 120749, South Korea, bongju@yonsei.ac.kr, Hosang Jung,
Chi-Ghun Lee
■ WB06
TransCanada Pavilion- PAV201
In distributor-oriented supply chain, the distributor has an initiative to make a
global supply chain plan. The negotiation between manufacturer and distributor
to create the global supply chain plan is based on the restricted communication
to keep the independent competitive power of them. We introduce two independent mathematical models for manufacturer and distributor, and then the
restricted communication based negotiation procedure for obtaining a global supply chain plan is presented.
Global Manufacturing
Contributed Session
Chair: Terri Friel, Associate Professor, Butler University, 4600 Sunset
Avenue, Indianapolis, ID, 46260, United States, tfriel@butler.edu
1 - Academics Weigh in on Lean Production System
Hallie Kintner, General Motors, 480-106-359, 30500 mound rd,
warren, mi, 48090, United States, hallie.kintner@gm.com, Daniel
Reaume, Ningjian Huang
4 - Capacity Allocation with Traditional and Internet Channels
Yue Dai, Ph. D student, Industrial Engineering,NC State
University, 3925 #c, Marcom st, Raleigh, NC, 27606, United
States, ydai2@eos.ncsu.edu, Xiuli Chao, Henry Nuttle,
Shu-Cherng Fang
In 1990, The Machine that Changed the World predicted lean production would
replace mass production as the dominant system for manufacturing. Many academic researchers have examined lean production since the book’s publication.
This report examines claims that lean production is new, great, and universally
applicable via a systematic review of over 100 articles and books. We find moderate support for the claims of newness and greatness, and counterexamples to the
claimed universal applicability.
We study a capacity allocation problem for two firms each of which has a local
store and an online store and allocates its capacity between its stores. Customers
shift among the stores upon encountering a stockout. We consider a single-period model and derive existence and stability conditions for a Nash equilibrium.
We then analyze a multi-period model in which each firm decides its total capacity and capacity allocation. A myopic solution is derived and shown to be an
equilibrium solution.
2 - Structural Equations Modeling for Designing and Monitoring
Strategic International Facility Networks
Charles Munson, Assistant Professor, Washington State University,
Box 644736, Pullman, WA, 99163, United States,
munson@wsu.edu, Panos Kouvelis
We develop a structural equations model based on an MIP that captures essential
design tradeoffs of global networks. The resulting model classifies a firm’s net-
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■ WB08
2 - Improving Port Efficiency using Double Cycling
Anne Goodchild, University of California at Berkeley, 945 Ohlone
Ave #964, Albany, CA, 94706, United States,
anne_g@uclink.berkeley.edu, Carlos Daganzo
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH300N
Railroad and Highway Transportation of Hazardous
Materials
Double cycling improves efficiency by unloading and loading a ship simultaneously; using wasted crane moves to transport containers. Double cycling can
reduce ship turn-around time through this efficiency improvement. The nature
of the double cycling problem is described and, for a given loading-plan, the benefits quantified. The relationship between the benefits of double cycling, and the
problem parameters is analyzed using simple formulas and a simulation program.
Sponsor: Transportation and Logistics (Joint Sponsored/Invited)
Sponsored Session
Chair: Manish Verma, Ph.D. Candidate, McGill University, 1001
Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, PQ, H3A1G5, Canada,
manish.verma@mail.mcgill.ca
3 - Integration of Transportation Planning and Execution in Real
Time Enterprise Environment
Jaehun Jeong, LG CNS, 9F,Prime
Tower,Hoehyeondong2ga,Junggu, Seoul, South Korea,
jeongjh@lgcns.com, Dong-go Jang, Sangmin Lee, Jaeho Lee,
Wontae Seo, Seungryong Lee
1 - Optimal Design of Hazardous Materials Vehicles to Minimize
Accident-Caused Releases
Christopher P.L Barkan, Associate Professor and Director, Railroad
Engineering Program, University of Illinois, 1201 Newmark
Engineering Laboratory, MC-250, 205 N. Mathews Ave., Urbana,
IL, 61801, United States, cbarkan@uiuc.edu
With the revolutionary development of information technology,it is possible to
use enormous dynamic information generated during delivery operation. By utilizing this information in real time manner, transportation planning and execution are carried adaptively and more efficiently. In this paper, we present integration of transportation planning and execution in real time enterprise environment. Realtime ATP is introduced to reduce time gap between planning and execution.
Conventional wisdom is that a thicker tank on tank cars reduces risk. However,
this increases vehicle weight and shipments required and consequently exposure
to accidents. We present a model that analyzes the tradeoff between damage
resistance and accident exposure. The objective function is minimization of probability of release. Three variables affecting optimal thickness are: volumetric
capacity, probability of release from other non-tank sources, and the weight
capacity of the car.
4 - Order Batching in a 2-Block Warehouse
Tho Le Duc, PhD Student, Erasmus University Rotterdam, F2-65,
Burg. Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, Netherlands,
tleduc@fbk.eur.nl, Rene de Koster
2 - Real-Time Routing and Scheduling of Hazmat Trucks
Stevanus Tjandra, Dr., University of Alberta, School of Business,
3-23 Business Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R6, Canada,
Stevanus.Tjandra@ualberta.ca, Erhan Erkut
Order batching problem (OBP) is the problem of determining the number of
orders to be picked together in one picking tour that minimizing the average
throughput time of a random order. We consider the OBP for a typical 2-block
shelf-type warehouse. We first elaborate on the first and second moment of the
travel time. Then we use these moments to estimate the average throughput
time of a random order by using a queue model. Simulation results show that
the method provides a high accuracy level.
We discuss methods which can reduce hazmat transport risks on a stochastic network with time-dependent distances and risks by combining routing and scheduling decisions. We assume it is possible to change the route at each node of the
network based on information obtained en route. Application of such methodology is possible through the availability of onboard GPS-based navigation systems
and real-time weather and road information.
5 - Assigning Delivery Routes to Vehicle Drivers in Stochastic
Routing Operations: Some Near-Bou
Michael Haughton, Professor, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75
University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L3C5, Canada,
mhaughto@wlu.ca
3 - Statistical Risk Assessment Methods for Developing Protective
Action Distances in the 2004 ERG
David Brown, Research Engineer, Argonne National Laboratory,
9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL, 60439, United States,
dbrown@anl.gov
A potential problem of stochastic demands in vehicle routing operations is instability in drivers’ delivery duties. One instability-control tactic is using driver-toroute assignment rules to ensure that each customer continues to be served by
that customer’s most often encountered driver. This paper estimates boundary
values on the rule’s performance by experimenting with extreme parameters for
three factors: demand volatility, vehicle capacity, and number of delivery routes.
This paper discusses statistical risk assessment methods used to develop Protective
Action Distances in the 2004 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) published
by United States Department of Transportation (DOT) in cooperation with
Transport Canada. The paper will detail the general methodology, transportation
risk assessment models employed (in particular the Chemical Accident Statistical
Risk Assessment Model - CASRAM) and related risk assessment studies.
■ WB15
4 - A Bi-Objective Tactical Planning Model for Railroad
Transportation of Hazardous Materials
Manish Verma, Ph.D. Candidate, McGill University, 1001
Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, PQ, H3A1G5, Canada,
manish.verma@mail.mcgill.ca, Vedat Verter
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH12S
E-Commerce II
Contributed Session
We present a mathematical model, which can be used to plan and manage hazardous material shipments. The model takes care of blocking, classification and
transfer of railcars, and builds upon an earlier work by the same authors. We also
present a multi-criteria metaheuristic algorithm devised to solve the tactical planning problem.
Chair: Yufei Yuan, Professor of Information Systems, McMaster
University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M4, Canada,
yuanyuf@mcmaster.ca
1 - Expected Benefits and Usage of Business-to-Business EMs: A
Study
S. Subba Rao, Professor, University of Toledo, 428 S. Centennial,
Holland, Oh, 43528, United States, subba.rao@utoledo.edu,
Thoung Le, Dothang Truong
■ WB10
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH303N
Logistics I
Chair: Michael Haughton, Professor, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75
University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L3C5, Canada,
mhaughto@wlu.ca
While the volume of transactions via EMs has grown steadily, it falls far short of
what EM operators had hoped for. The latest quarterly survey by the Institute of
Supply Management (ISM, 2003) shows only one out of three firms have used
EMs for B2B procurement A question arises as to whether EMs, as seen by
prospective market participants, offer sufficient benefits to attract B2B usage. This
is the subject of investigation in this study.
1 - A Strategic Supply Chain Network Model with Safety Stock
Guoyong Lv, graduate student for doctors degrees, Transportation
System Engineering, 2-1-6 Etchujima Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-8533,
Japan, glu@e.kaiyodai.ac.jp, Mikio Kubo
2 - iBAM: Internet Banking Acceptance Model
Hsi-Peng Lu, Professor, Nat. Taiwan University of Sci. and Tech,
No. 43, Keelung Rd, Sec. 4, Taipei, 106, Taiwan,
hsipeng@cs.ntust.edu.tw, Huei-Ru Fion Tsai, Wu Jo-Yu
In this model, we incorporate safety stock costs at all nodes of the network for
dealing with demand as uncertain. With the assumption that the variance-tomean ratio of the demand is identical for all customers, we formulate the model
as a non-linear MIP problem, where safety stock costs on each node is a concave
function of the flow. We propose a dynamic cut-adding algorithm to deal with
concave costs as piecewise linear function. A numerical example is provided to
show this solution method.
This study proposes an i-Bank acceptance model (iBAM) with three types of predictors: personal beliefs (relative advantage, perceived ease, and perceived risk),
social influence (from mass-media, interpersonal channel, and reference groups),
and technology features (compatibility and triability). The sample includes 296
subjects (105 early users & 191 potential adopters) collected from portal sites in
Taiwan. The results suggest that i-bank marketing strategies should be different
to each group.
Contributed Session
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WB23
3 - A Business Model for e-Negotiation in Electronic Commerce
Yufei Yuan, Professor of Information Systems, McMaster
University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M4, Canada,
yuanyuf@mcmaster.ca, Ofir Turel
■ WB21
In this paper we propose a high-level e-negotiation business model and use it to
analyze key issues for the success of these services. We focus on the value proposition of e-negotiation systems and examine it through surveying potential market segments. We found that the awareness for e-negotiation services is very low
but the potential benefits e-negotiations are clear to the surveyed managers and
so are the challenges.
Contributed Session
■ WB19
1 - Coordinating Emergency Health Services
Katherine Wytrykush, MBA student, University of Calgary, 2500
University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada,
kawytryk@ucalgary.ca
Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC102
Health Applications I
Chair: Jonathan Patrick, Graduate Student, Centre for Operations
Excellence/University of British Columbia, 2053 Main Mall, Sauder
School of Business, Vancouver BC V6T1Z2, Canada,
jpatrick@coe.ubc.ca
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH28S
Military Applications
This presentation discusses background research and a quantitative modeling
effort to support the potential development of a coordination centre for emergency medical services in the Calgary, Alberta region. The model incorporates the
highly variable patient demands and includes coordination of emergency room,
medical consultant, and paramedic resources.
Contributed Session
Chair: Greg Parlier, COL, USA, Retired, UAH, OED, B-20, VBRH,
Huntsville, AL, 35749, United States, parlieg@email.uah.edu
1 - “Commander as Shooter” - Operational Planning Using C2 for
Confronting and Collaborating
Andrew Tait, CTO, Idea Sciences, 205 The Strand, Alexandria, VA,
22314, United States, andrew.tait@ideasciences.com, Nigel Howard
2 - Efficient Scheduling of CT Scanners in Vancouver Area Hospitals
Jonathan Patrick, Graduate Student, Centre for Operations
Excellence/University of British Columbia, 2053 Main Mall,
Sauder School of Business, Vancouver, BC, V6T1Z2, Canada,
jpatrick@coe.ubc.ca, Martin L. Puterman
Confrontation and Collaboration Analysis (CCA) is a way of analyzing interactions between parties - especially in Stabilization and Reconstruction Operations.
It concentrates on achieving a particular kind of psychological effect, viz, a
change in the intentions of other parties - and directly supports emerging command concepts such as Effects Based Operations. This paper describes the use of
CCA, as a simplified system for C2 of Confronting and Collaborating (C2CC),
within a NATO exercise.
We describe an approach for efficient scheduling of diagnostic imaging exams in
a random environment trading off machine idle time, throughput, patient waiting times and overtime. The booking system analyzed requires low priority
patients to be scheduled for future dates without knowing the incoming demand
of higher priority patients. Our approach combines reservation policies, booking
limits and overbooking. The efficacy of the proposed scheduling rules were evaluated using simulation models.
2 - An Example of Applied OR Problem Solving to a Military
Logistics Event
William Waymire, U.S. Army, Hq 21st TSC Unit 23203, Box 228,
APO, AE, 09263, United States,
william.waymire@hq.21tsc.army.mil
■ WB23
Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC104
Environment/Natural Resources
The U.S. was heading to war and planning its logistical role was priority for the
21st TSC. One important mission involved supply movement from central
Europe to a staging point east. During the planning process the commander
wanted to know if the allotted HETs were adequate to move required equipment
along the MSR. The ORSA division and the command’s JDLM contractor were
tasked to provide independent answers ASAP. This paper outlines our response
and subsequent simulations.
Contributed Session
Chair: Ravi Subramanian, PhD Candidate, Michigan Business School,
D2259 Davidson Hall, 701 Tappan St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, United
States, rsubramz@bus.umich.edu
1 - A Bayesian Network-Based Decision Analysis Approach to
Watershed Management Decisions
William Labiosa, graduate student, Stanford University, Terman
Engineering Center, MC 4020, 380 Panama St., Stanford, CA,
94305, United States, labiosa@stanford.edu, James Leckie, Ross
Shachter
3 - Inspections as Deterrents
James Bradley, Professor, Calvin College, Department of
Mathematics and Computer Scienc, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546,
United States, braj@calvin.edu
This paper models a conflict between an inspectee and an inspector as a non-zero
sum game. Inspectee can violate a law or treaty at n sites. Inspector can visit k
(less than n) sites. Formulae are derived for the minimal cost that must be
imposed on cheating in order to deter violations and for the optimal mix of
inspection sites.
We describe a decision analysis approach to watershed management strategies
using Bayesian networks to predict environmental outcomes. We are exploring
the use of penalty functions based on the “probability of compliance” with regulatory targets, transforming the decision problem into a cost-effectiveness exercise. By varying the penalty parametrically, the group can explore tradeoffs
between costs and compliance certainty without having agreed upon penalty values.
4 - On Averaging Exchange Ratios
John Steele, Operational Research Analyst, DND, c/o DLSC, Box
17000 Stn Forces, Kingston, ON, K7K 7B4, Canada,
John.Steele@ora.dnd.ca, Roger Roy
2 - Locational Characteristics of Wild Landfills in the Prefecture of
Thessaloniki, Greece
Avraam Karagiannidis, Assistant Professor, Aristotle University,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Laboratory of Heat
Transfer and Environmental Engineering, Box 483, University
Campus, Thessaloniki, GR-54124, Greece,
makis@aix.meng.auth.gr, Agis Papadopoulos, George Perkoulidis,
Maria Theodoseli
In military ops research, we often characterize the outcome of a land battle using
exchange ratios (their losses over our losses). When one side has no losses, that
side’s exchange ratio is infinite, thwarting any use of the average to determine an
expected exchange ratio for the battle scenario. Even when ratios are finite, the
common average is not a good measure of central tendency due to denominator
sensitivity. We show the weakness of the arithmetic mean of ratios and give
alternatives.
5 - Enabling A Strategically Repsonsive, Transforming Army
Greg Parlier, COL, USA, Retired, UAH, OED, B-20, VBRH,
Huntsville, AL, 35749, United States, parlieg@email.uah.edu
This paper presents a study of the temporal variation of the number of existing
and operating wild landfills for solid wastes in the case-study area (one of the 52
Greek prefectures), over the period 1997-2003, allowing for monitoring of the
closure process and for future predictions of this trend. Furthermore, their present-day registered locational characteristics are analysed and correlations are
studied among them, aiming also at prioritizing their restoration and sanitation.
This paper summarizes a comprehensive systems approach, combining elements
of classical inventory theory with recent developments in large-scale supply
chain design and management theory and innovative approaches pioneered in
the corporate sector, culminating in the development of an “analytical architecture” to guide Logistics Transformation for the US Army.
3 - Emissions Control and Compliance Strategies: A Permit AuctionBased Model
Ravi Subramanian, PhD Candidate, Michigan Business School,
D2259 Davidson Hall, 701 Tappan St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48109,
United States, rsubramz@bus.umich.edu, Sudheer Gupta, Brian
Talbot
Despite the growing prevalence of permit auctions in market-based programs for
controlling emissions, research has thus far not clearly delineated firms’ abatement, bidding, and production strategies in conjunction with permit auctioning.
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We model a three-stage game in an oligopoly where firms invest in abatement,
participate in a regulator-conducted share auction for permits, and produce output. Equilibrium outcomes are intricate and often counterintuitive.
The purpose of this talk is to review negotiation support systems and Internetbased e-negotiation systems (commercial and academic) and propose their classification. Models and procedures embedded in NSSs and ENSs are discussed. The
focus is on recent developments and the use of ENSs in experimental and field
studies.
■ WB25
3 - Market Engineering
Christof Weinhardt, Professor Dr., Karlsruhe University,
Kaisserstrasse 12, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany,
weinhardt@iw.uka.de
Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC202
Stochastic Networks
Contributed Session
This talk proposes a discursive development process for e-negotiation systems
(ENS). A structured development process is intended to assure an acceptable
quality of ENS. Based on a solid theoretical and practical fundament the development process is deduced into a phase model. The decomposition provides the
basis for computer-support that aims at improving the process. The talk closes
with the suggestion of an integrated tool-set for building ENS via CAME
(Computer Aided Market Engineering).
Chair: Hengqing Ye, Assistant professor, National University of
Singapore, 1 business link, Singapore, 117591, Singapore,
bizyehq@nus.edu.sg
1 - An Efficient Algorithm to Compute Network Reliability Importance
Takeshi Koide, Assistant Professor, University of Marketing and
Distribution Sciences, Faculty of Service Industries, GakuenNishimachi 3-1, Nishi-ku, Kobe, 6512188, Japan,
koide@umds.ac.jp, Shuichi Shinmori, Hiroaki Ishii
Wednesday 12:00-1:30 pm
We have proposed a procedure to compute reliability importance (RI) efficiently
for network systems. RI is an appropriate measure on system components against
system reliability and contributes to design reliable systems. However, computing
RI in network systems is time-consuming due to NP-completeness. The proposed
procedure has employed network reductions and a network decomposition to
reduce the computational time and the effectiveness was shown in numerical
experiments.
■ WC01
Max Bell Building- Auditorium
Measurement and Decisions: Theory, Tools, and
Applications
2 - Generalized Finite Urn Models
Chris Leith, Ph.D. Student, Queen’s University, Department of
Math & Stats, Kingston, ON, K7L3N6, Canada,
cleith@mast.queensu.ca, Glen Takahara
Cluster: Tutorials-CORS/INFORMS 2004
Invited Session
1 - Measurement and Decisions: Theory, Tools, and Applications
Jonathan Barzilai, Professor, Department of Industrial
Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax (Nova Scotia), Canada,
Jonathan.Barzilai@dal.ca
We consider an urn that may contain balls of C different colors. For color selection, we consider general weights attached to each ball color. Balls contribute to
the composition of the urn for exactly M steps, unlike the classic infinite memory
urn model. We obtain the stationary distribution of the urn composition and
derive the limiting distribution of the sequence of scaled stationary distributions
as M goes to infinity and compare this to the limiting results for the infinite
memory urn.
Subjective measurement is at the core of decision theory and operations research
yet some fundamental modelling issues are not well understood. For example,
the construction of scales to which the operations of addition and multiplication
are applicable is related to Measurement units: Measurement without units, or
without properly specified units results in weak scales to which addition and
multiplication are not applicable. We will relate the issues of applicability of addition and multiplication to measurement units and the need for empirical and
numerical reference objects, and to problems with the common use of verbal
scales, pairwise comparisons, ratio scales, etc. We will show that commonly used
methodologies produce scales that do not enable the operations of addition and
multiplication and discuss the practical implications of these findings. We will
also demonstrate a powerful yet easy-to-use software package (Tetra) that implements Preference Function Modelling (PFM). Tetra constructs strong scales that
enable addition and multiplication and it supports multi-criteria group decision
making and evaluation.
3 - Stability of Flow Level Data Network Models
Hengqing Ye, Assistant professor, National University of
Singapore, 1 business link, Singapore, 117591, Singapore, bizyehq@nus.edu.sg, Jihong Ou, Xue Ming Yuan
We study stability of network models that capture macroscopic features of data
communication networks including the Internet. Under a necessary stability condition (i.e., the average offered transmission load on each link is within its bandwidth capacity), we show that the proportionally fair, the minimum potential
delay, the max-min fair and a class of utility maximizing bandwidth allocations
ensure network stability, while some priority oriented and the maximum
throughput policies do not.
■ WC02
■ WB26
Max Bell Building- MB251
Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC301
Optimization Modeling in Practice II
New Approaches in E-negotiation Research
Cluster: Math Programming
Invited Session
Sponsor: Group Decision and Negotiation
Sponsored Session
Chair: Bjarni Kristjansson, President, Maximal Software, Inc., 2111
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700, Arlington, VA, 22201, United States,
bjarni@maximalsoftware.com
Chair: Christof Weinhardt, Professor Dr., Karlsruhe University,
Kaisserstrasse 12, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany, weinhardt@iw.uka.de
1 - Does Web-based Negotiation Support System have a Better use
Adoption?
Tung Bui, Professor, University of Hawaii, 2404 Maile Way, E303a,
Honolulu, HI, 96822, United States, tbui@cba.hawaii.edu
1 - Budget Model for Federal Wildland Fire Management Agencies
Gyana Parija, Research Staff Member, IBM Research, 1101
Kitchawan Road, Route 134, Yorktown, NY, 12601, United States,
parija@us.ibm.com
2 - Assigning People in Practice
Robert Fourer, Professor, Northwestern University, Dept of
Industrial Eng & Mgmt Sciences, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL,
60208-3119, United States, 4er@iems.northwestern.edu
Since its first appearance more than two decades ago, DSS technology has
enjoyed considerable attention within the MS/OR/MIS community. Despite some
reported successes, the use of DSS/NSS has not been widely adopted. The
Internet phenomenon has brought a renewed optimism from researchers, anticipating a stronger adoption. This paper discusses the adoption challenges and
opportunities of Internet-based GDNSS. An adoption model will be proposed and
conditions for eNSS adoption will be discussed.
Chances are you’ve been stuck at least once with a problem of assigning people
to something — offices, projects, tables, whatever. The venerable idea of an
“assignment problem” can be useful in these circumstances, if applied with care.
This presentation describes several applications of assignment problems to real
people, along with some rules for success suggested by these experiences.
2 - From NEGO to Invite: Twenty Years of Developing Software to
Support Negotiations
Gregory Kersten, Professor, School of Management University
Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques L, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada, gregory@jmsb.concordia.ca
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CORS / INFORMS INTERNATIONAL — 2004
3 - COE Optimization Projects
Mehmet Atilla Begen, Associate Director, Research, Centre for
Operations Excellence/University of British Columbia, 2053 Main
Mall, Sauder School of Business, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z2,
Canada, mabegen@coe.ubc.ca
WC08
In this paper, we propose a decomposition method for solving two-stage quadratic stochastic programming (QSP) based on the logarithmic barrier methods
applied to both the master problem and the recourse sub-problem. Under certain
assumptions, we establish the polynomial complexity of the algorithm.
2 - On the Smoothing Newton Method for Symmetric Matrix-Valued
Complementarity Problems
Jie Sun, Professor, National University of Singapore, 1 Buziness
Link #02-05, Singapore, 117591, Singapore, jsun@nus.edu.sg
We present an overview of applied optimization projects from three different
areas: fisheries, beverage and paper industries. We share our challenges and
experience and demonstrate the end tools developed for these projects. Centre
for Operations Excellence (COE) is a research center at the Sauder School of
Business at the University of British Columbia and offers a 16 month masters
program in OR. http://www.coe.ubc.ca
A smoothing Newton method for solving symmetric matrix-valued complementarity problems (which include the semidefinite programming problem as a special case) is analyzed. The method has a quadratic rate of local convergence
under a nonsigularity assumption. The results are based on the strong semismoothness and the characterization of the B-subdifferential of the corresponding smoothing matrix function.
■ WC03
Max Bell Building- MB252
3 - Rapid, IPM Based Optimization of Spiral Magnetic Resonance
Image Reconstruction Resampling Kernels
Tamás Terlaky, Professor, CRC, McMaster University, Department
Computing and Software, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON,
L8S4K1, Canada, terlaky@mcmaster.ca, Bixiang Wang, Christopher
Anand
Optimization Techniques III
Contributed Session
Chair: Yu Xia, McMaster, 1280 Main Street West, ITB-202, Hamilton,
ON, L8S 4K1, Canada, xiay@optlab.mcmaster.ca
1 - Solving QAPLIB using GATS: A New Hybrid Genetic AlgorithmTabu Search Approach
Jose Rodriguez, UNB, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Fredericton, NB, Canada, jm.rodriguez@unb.ca, F. Chris MacPhee,
David J. Bonham, Joseph D. Horton
We show that an iterative Gauss-Seidel-type interior-point method is suitable
(fast, light-weight) for optimal design of Resampling Kernels in MRI. We directly
optimize a piecewise-linear kernel rather than an analytic function (KaiserBessel). We optimize for worst-case (infinity-norm) signal aliasing, rather than
the usual proxy energy (2-norm). In numerical simulations of near-frequency
systematic noise the new kernel significantly outperforms a conventional KaiserBessel-based solution.
The solution of 75% of 200 available instances of well-known quadratic assignment problem (QAP) and dynamic plant layout problem (DPLP), with particular
interest placed on problem instances contained in the QAPLIB, is described in
this paper. The methodology and time complexity of a new hybrid genetic and
tabu-search (GATS) algorithm are discussed. Also, 2D strategies based on a novel
(P-CF) matrix technique implemented via parameter sweep using GATS and
experimental results are presented.
■ WC08
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH300N
New Advances in Optimizing Railroads
2 - STA , HAT and SAT : Three Novel Algorithms for Examination
Timetabling Problem
Zahra Naji Azimi, Yong Research Club of Iran, Department of
math. Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran, najiazimi@yahoo.com
Sponsor: Transportation and Logistics (Joint Sponsored/Invited)
Sponsored Session
Chair: Ravindra K. Ahuja, Professor, University of Florida, 303, Weil
Hall, P O Box 116595, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States,
ahuja@ufl.edu
SA ,TS,GA,ACS are four of the main algorithms for solving challenging problems
of intelligent systems. We apply these techniques and three novel hybrid combinations of them to a ETP.Three novel hyrbrid algorithms consist of a sequential
TS-ACS (STA), a hybrid ACS/TS(HAT), and a sequential ACS-TS(SAT) algorithms. These various hybrid combinations are then tested on ten different scenarios of the classical ETP.
1 - Open OR Problems within BNSF Railway
Pooja Dewan, BNSF Railway, Lou Menk Drive, Fort Worth, TX,
United States, pooja.dewan@bnsf.com
BNSF Railway operates one of the largest railroad networks in North America
with 33,500 miles of track spread over 28 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Revenues are generated primarily from the transportation of coal, grain, intermodal containers and trailers, chemicals, metals and minerals, forest products,
automobiles, and consumer goods. We will be discussing some of the unsolved
OR problems that the industry is currently faced with.
3 - Kernel Methods with Noisy Data
Theodore Trafalis, Professor, University of Oklahoma, 202 West
Boyd, Rm. 124, Norman, OK, 73019, United States,
ttrafalis@ou.edu
A robust convex optimization approach is proposed for Kernel Methods with
noisy input data. All that is known about the uncertain data vector v, referring to
a perturbation of an input data point, is that it belongs to a given uncertainty set
U. We show that in the case that the set U is a hyper sphere, the resulting optimization problem is equivalent to a convex quadratic optimization problem with
conic quadratic constraints. Preliminary computational results are also presented
2 - Solving Real-Life Train Schedule Design Problems
Ravindra K. Ahuja, Professor, University of Florida, 303, Weil
Hall, P O Box 116595, Gainesville, FL, 32608, United States,
ahuja@ufl.edu, Krishna Jha, Jian Liu
The train schedule design problem consists of designing the train schedule (train
origins, destinations, routes, frequencies, and train timings) for a major railroad
and assigning blocks of shipments to trains so that train capacities are met, no
small trains are formed, and the total shipment cost is minimum. In this talk, we
preset a practical solution approach to solve this problem and present its results
on the data provided by a major US railroad.
4 - Sum-of-Squares Clustering via Matrix Optimization
Yu Xia, McMaster, 1280 Main Street West, ITB-202, Hamilton,
ON, L8S 4K1, Canada, xiay@optlab.mcmaster.ca, Jiming Peng
We reformulate the sum-of-squares clustering as a continuous optimization problem and provide some computation results.
3 - New Approaches for Solving the Train Despatching Problem
Guvenc Sahin, PhD Student, University of Florida, Industrial and
Systems Eng. Department, Gainesville, FL, 32607, United States,
guvencs@ufl.edu, Ravindra K. Ahuja, Claudio Cunha
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Max Bell Building- MB253
High Performance Optimization
The train despatching problem (also known as the meet-pass problem) is an
important discrete optimization problem arising in railroad and consists of scheduling trains on tracks so as to avoid collisions. In this talk, we present a new MIP
formulation of the train despatching problem, propose several heuristic algorithms, and present computational results.
Sponsor: Optimization
Sponsored Session
Chair: Tamás Terlaky, Professor, CRC, McMaster University,
Department Computing and Software, 1280 Main Street West,
Hamilton, ON, L8S4K1, Canada, terlaky@mcmaster.ca
1 - Log-Barrier Method for Two-Stage Quadratic Stochastic
Programming
Jiming Peng, Assistant Professor, McMaster University,
Department Computing and Software, 1280 Main Street West,
Hamilton, ON, L8S4K1, Canada, pengj@mcmaster.ca, Gyeongmi
Cho
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2 - Reducing CT Scanner Waiting Times in Vancouver Area Hospitals
Kevin Y.M. Chen, Technical Analyst, Centre for Operations
Excellence/University of British Columbia, 2053 Main Mall,
Sauder School of Business, Vancouver, V6T1Z2, Canada, kymchen@coe.ubc.ca, Mark Chase, Mehmet Atilla Begen, Bailey
Kluczny, Jonathan Patrick, David Puterman, Martin L. Puterman
Donald Cameron Hall- DCH303N
Logistics II
Contributed Session
Chair: N Ravichandran, Professor, Indian Institute Of Management,
Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad, 380015, India, nravi
Many hospitals face excessive diagnostic exam waiting times. We analyzed CT
scanner utilization at several hospitals and estimated waiting times for various
patient categories. This involved estimating demand and determining capacity
and constraints, in light of data availability and collection constraints. Through
extensive observation and process analysis, bottlenecks and possible improvements were identified. A simulation model was built to increase utilization
through scenario analysis.
1 - Optimization of Posts Supplying at Hydro-Quebec
Diane Riopel, Professor, Ecole Polytechnique, C.P. 6079 Succ.
Centre-ville, Montréal, Qc, H3C 3A7, Canada,
diane.riopel@polymtl.ca, Louis Garneau, André Langevin
Following new environmental standards, the management and operation of
Hydro-Québec sites for posts storage are likely to become much more expensive.
Sixty sites are located throughout the province of Quebec. We developed a decision support tool to help the managers analyse the opening or closing of some
storage sites.
3 - Fuzzy Organ Allocation System for Cadaveric Kidney
Transplantattion
Emin Gundogar, Assoc. Professor, Sakarya University, Sakarya
Universitesi Muh. Fak., Endüstri Muh. Esentepe Kampus,
Adapazari, 54187, Turkey, gun@sakarya.edu.tr, Osman Cerezci,
Hayrettin Evirgen, Baha Guney
2 - Custom Clearance Process-Delay Propagation and Control
Strategies for Perishing Products in Air Cargo
Wei-Che Wang, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of
Transportation Technology and Management, National Chiao Tung
University, 1001 Ta Hsueh Road, Hsinchu, TW, 30010, Taiwan,
milton224.tem91g@nctu.edu.tw, Chaug-Ing Hsu
In this article, the Fuzzy Logic expert system has been used as a new approach to
overcome the uncertainty and complications that the doctors face in the process
of deciding on kidney allocation. System has been developed and evaluated
based on the UNOS scoring system in America and TONKS in Turkey. In our
experiment, which is based on real data, it has been found that the fuzzy logic
system could provide better suggestions for the professionals compared to the
other allocation systems.
We develop models on analyzing the delay process and delay propagation of custom clearance in air cargo terminals. The inventory loss of perishing products
due to the delay is formulated considering stochastic process. We explore the
possibilities on changing customer procedures in terms of information and cargo
flows to propose control strategies aiming at minimizing delay costs. CKS airport
terminal is used as an example to demonstrate the application and feasibility of
the developed models.
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Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC202
Stochastic Processes/Optimization
3 - Unveiling the Efficient Frontier of a Biobjective (cost-coverage)
Unconstrained Location Problem
Palacios Fernando, Full Professor, Universidad de los Andes,
Department of Industrial Engineering, A.A.4976, Bogota, DC,
Colombia, fpalacio@uniandes.edu.co, Juan G. Villegas, Andres
Medaglia
Contributed Session
Chair: Alireza Ghasemi, Polytechnique de Montréal, App #1, 7411
Boul. St. Michel, Montréal, QC, H2A3A2, Canada,
alireza.ghasemi@polymtl.ca
1 - A Chance-Constrained Capacitated Facility Location-Allocation
Problem
C K Y Lin, Assistant Professor, City University of Hong Kong,
Department of Management Sciences, City University of HK, 83
Tat Chee Ave., Hong Kong, China, mslincky@cityu.edu.hk
The Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia requires reconfiguring its supply network. We model this problem as a biobjective uncapacitated facility location problem. We designed an algorithm based on the Nondominated Sorting
Genetic Algorithm; an algorithm based on the Pareto Archive Evolution Strategy;
and an algorithm based on mathematical programming. We compared these
algorithms and identified unique tradeoff opportunities for the reconfiguration of
the Colombian coffee supply network.
A capacitated facility location-allocation problem with stochastic demand and
service level constraints is described. The objective is to minimize total costs. The
facility service levels are modelled by probabilistic constraints. The deterministic
equivalent non-linear integer model is rescaled and approximated by a mixed
integer program with relevant bounds. To solve the original problem, the mixed
integer model is solved iteratively by adding constraints to eliminate infeasibilities.
5 - Improved Effficiency in Logistics using ERP
N Ravichandran, Professor, Indian Institute Of Management,
Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad, 380015, India
This paper docments the experiance of implementing an ERP solution in the context of an Indian company engaged in the business of consumables.The issues
and perfomance before and after implementation is presented.The potential to
improve the logistics function in the ERP enabled environment concludes this
paper.
2 - Stochastic Prog & Scenario Generation in a Simulation
Framework: An Information Systems Perspective
Nico Di Domenica, CARISMA, Brunel University, Mathematical
Sciences Building, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, United
Kingdom, nico.didomenica@brunel.ac.uk, George Birbilis, Patrick
Valente, Gautam Mitra
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Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC102
Stochastic Programming unites models of optimum resource allocation and models of randomness to create a robust decision making framework. The models of
randomness with their finite, discrete realisations are called Scenario Generators.
In this work we investigate the role of such tools within the context of a combined information and decision support system. We introduce illustrative examples of optimisation, simulation models and results analysis to explain our multifaceted view of modelling.
Health Applications II
Contributed Session
Chair: Emin Gundogar, Assoc. Professor, Sakarya University, Sakarya
Universitesi Muh. Fak., Endüstri Muh. Esentepe Kampus, Adapazari,
54187, Turkey, gun@sakarya.edu.tr
3 - Using Server Idle Time with Other Tasks to Improve Utilization
Ernie Love, Dean, Simon Fraser University, Faculty of Business
Administration, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada,
love@sfu.ca, George Zhang
1 - Overcoming Structural Constraints to Patient EPR Use: A Critical
Framework
Warren Winkelman, Student Researcher, University of
Toronto/University Health Network, Centre for Global eHealth
Innovation, 190 Elizabeth Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G
2C4, Canada, w.winkelman@utoronto.ca, Kevin Leonard
We consider a single server which has a variety of available vacation-type jobs
which can be selected when free from the main servicing function. Vacation
types are probabalistically available and selection is at the discretion of the server.
A critical threshold value for the queue results in servicing to exhaustion. A
finite state Semi-Markov model finds the optimal threshold value as well as an
optimal vacation selection policy is generated.
There are four characteristics that either enhance or mitigate the influence of
medical record structure on patient EPR use: environmental pressures, physician
centeredness, collaborative organizational culture, and patient centeredness. An
evaluation framework is proposed. Traditional IS development may not capture
pertinent social issues that arise when expanding access of EPR systems to
patients. Critically rooted evaluation can help patient use of an EPR positively
influence health outcomes.
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4 - Optimal Replacement In The Proportional Hazard Model of A
Partially Observed System
Alireza Ghasemi, Polytechnique de Montréal, App #1, 7411 Boul.
St. Michel, Montréal, QC, H2A3A2, Canada,
alireza.ghasemi@polymtl.ca, Soumaya Yacout
A Condition Based Maintenance problem formulated via the Proportional Hazard
Model and fixed inspection period is considered. The system is subject to a stochastic deterioration. The obtained data indicate the state of the system through
a statistical relation. The system state is predicted by using Bayes rule. An optimal replacement policy is found. It minimizes the system’s long-run average cost
of maintenance and failures. The actions are Do-nothing or Replace. A numerical
example is given.
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Pro. Devel. Centre- PDC301
E-negotiations: Systems, Agents and Methods
Sponsor: Group Decision and Negotiation
Sponsored Session
Chair: Gregory Kersten, Professor, School of Management University
Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques L, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada,
gregory@jmsb.concordia.ca
1 - A Model of an Agent Supporting Multi-Issue Negotiations in a
Marketplace
Eva Chen, Concordia University, 2384 Barbe, Laval, QC, H7T1Z6,
Canada, eh_chen@jmsb.concordia.ca, Rustam Vahidov
As e-commerce grows, marketplace participants require greater customization
and personalization of the transaction process. Negotiation is the essence in
bringing these characteristics to the supply chain. eAgora is a marketplace and a
platform for multi-issue negotiations. An integrated agent generates offers and
critiques counter-offers. Both the e-marketplace and the agent are verified by a
small scale usability test; its results are presented.
2 - Estimation of Parameters of Multi-Attribute Utility Functions in
Presence of Response Error
Jamshid Etezadi, Concordia University, Canada,
etezadi@jmsb.concordia.ca, Tak Mak
Most available methods for estimating parameters of multi-attribute utility models overlook presence of response error. We propose a least-squares estimation
method for estimating the relative weights of multi-attribute additive utility function. It is based on decomposition assessment procedure and can accommodate
random error as well as systematic bias in assessment.
3 - Invite: A Multi-Protocol E-negotiation System
Ka Pong Law, Student, Concordia University, Montréal, PQ,
Canada, kp_law@jmsb.concordia.ca, Stefan Strecker
Most ENSs implement a single negotiation protocol, restricting their use to problems and interactions to those assumed a priori by designers. We present Invite, a
flexible and customizable e-negotiation software platform. Invite enables negotiators to map negotiation activities to components and construct their own protocols by creating a sequence of layout programs invoking components and rules.
Its main purpose is to investigate cross-cultural negotiations and comparison
between ENSs.
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