Foudations of operations research. With problems and solutions. (Q5900362)

This is an introductory course in German to Operations Research, aimed at acquainting graduate students in management, mathematics and computer science with quantitative modeling and problem-solving. Throughout the emphasis is on modeling by example and presentation of ideas and techniques, this without formal proofs, but always ending in a set of exercises, the detailed solutions of which make up the last quarter of the book. After a first general chapter reminding about what modeling and solving might mean, one immediately starts with linear programming and the simplex algorithm, illustrated by a two-dimensional example allowing graphical interpretation, and an introduction to duality and sensitivity analysis through reduced costs. Then a series of typical LP/MIP models are formulated: production mix, transportation, set covering, financial investments, etc. Next we move to graphs, their different types and representations, and a single application: the shortest path. Projectscheduling is the next subject, by way of CPM (critical path method), and a few words on resources and the need of levelling. A final chapter is devoted to some ideas about discrete event simulation and queues. Surprisingly, and somewhat misleading, no mention is made of the real difficulty of models; e.g. 0-1 variables suddenly appear in LP models, without discussion of the trouble their presence may generate. Also software is vaguely mentioned (except, remarkably, the highly available Excel/Solver) but never used. And although the introduction mentions e.g. heuristics or multi-objective situations and defines efficiency, no further reference to such concepts is found later on.