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Articles 631 - 645 of 645
Full-Text Articles in Business Administration, Management, and Operations
On The Structure Problem Of Organization, Burton V. Dean
On The Structure Problem Of Organization, Burton V. Dean
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
The organization structure problem is defined as that of specifying the composition of organizational elements or subgroups, their measures of performance, and the corresponding control factors. This paper is concerned with the development of methods for decomposing a total organizational objective function into simpler subgroup performance functions that involve fewer control variables. Methods are developed for yielding this decomposition and for deriving values of the control variables that optimize the performances of the subgroups and the organization. Extensions of the initial structure problem are formulated which permit the application of quantitative methods to problems involving organization transition, adaptation, and adjustment. …
Decentralized Management Of Interacting Processes: A Technique Of Nonlinear Programming, Leon S. Lasdon, S. Sankar Sengupta
Decentralized Management Of Interacting Processes: A Technique Of Nonlinear Programming, Leon S. Lasdon, S. Sankar Sengupta
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
The existence and structure of the scheme is considered convergence of the price-adjustment rule used by the central agency is discussed. The result, applicable to intereacting processes, promises on a computational basis, significant advantages. Conceptually, it greatly extends the applicability of some basic economic concepts, and indicates the possibility of a merger of pricing theory and equlilbrium of allocation with modern control theory.
An Application Of Operations Research To Municipal Planning: Some Fiscal Aspects Of Land-Use Planning, Michael H. Alexander
An Application Of Operations Research To Municipal Planning: Some Fiscal Aspects Of Land-Use Planning, Michael H. Alexander
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
This study was undertaken as a group research project at Case Institute of Technology, Cleveland, Ohio. The limits of the study are outlined and a conceptual model developed. A simulation model of a specific community, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, is constructed as an example of how the overall municipal simulation model can provide planning information. Three alternative land use policies described by the Mayor were programmed as input for this simulation model. Analysis of the results and recommendations are included as a part of the study.
Some Order Statistics Relating To Markov Chains: An Application To Purchasing Policies, José Treviño, S. Sankar Sengupta
Some Order Statistics Relating To Markov Chains: An Application To Purchasing Policies, José Treviño, S. Sankar Sengupta
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
A special instance of the general problem of decision-making under uncertainty is considered. In the absence of a well-defined utility function, the following method is adopted: First, a "reasonable" or "acceptable" policy is chosen with unspecified parameters. Then, the associated decision rule is formulated; typically, these are functional transforms of appropriate state variables. Analysis is made of the outcomes produced by the rule in conjunction with the stochastic price process. Finally, some functionals of the (random) outcomes are computed with a view to obtain measures of performance of the decision rule. In each case, the derivations indicate the dependence of …
An Operational Theory Of Oligopoly, Dilip K. Guha, S. Sankar Sengupta
An Operational Theory Of Oligopoly, Dilip K. Guha, S. Sankar Sengupta
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
The work reported in this memorandum stems from an attempt to derive operationally meaningful propositions that may be useful to the management of a firm selling an undifferentiated product in conditions of oligopoly. It avoids the game-theoretic constructs on the one hand, and the notions of reaction functions and conjectural variations on the other; it only builds the minimum necessary framework of concepts and constructs for the purposes of decision-making. Given the structure of competition (that is, who competes over what and with what means), the organization of the market (that is, the institutional setup for the consummation of a …
Contract Award And Bidding Strategies, Burton V. Dean
Contract Award And Bidding Strategies, Burton V. Dean
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
The R and D contract award and bidding decision process is studied from the points of view of bidders and customers. Competitive bidding models are developed which incorporate such factors as probability of contract award, level of resource utilization, and expected return. Conditions and methods for estimating the probability of contract award are presented. Competitive bidding strategies for the cases of known and unknown numbers of bidders and single and multi-proposal situations are investigated. [Likely published circa 1964.]
Decentralized Management Of Interacting Processes: A Technique Of Nonlinear Programming (Ii), Leon S. Lasdon, S. Sankar Sengupta
Decentralized Management Of Interacting Processes: A Technique Of Nonlinear Programming (Ii), Leon S. Lasdon, S. Sankar Sengupta
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
In this part certain conditions are established under which an equilibrium point of the algorithm of price-adjustment (P - E) is asymptotically stable in the large. These conditions are phrased as requirements on the functions involved in the original or integrated problem. It is shown that although the usual concavity requirements (for maximization problems) are sufficient to guarantee stability, much less will suffice. Mathematically, this appears as the fact that, for stability, only the sum of certain quadratic forms - one for each sub-problem - must be negative, so that one or more positive terms may be cancelled by others …
Towards A General Theory Of Systems Model Of Subsystems, F. Benson, M. Gurel
Towards A General Theory Of Systems Model Of Subsystems, F. Benson, M. Gurel
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
This report critiques the traditional classification of Operations Research models into eight types, highlighting their historical origins and limitations in addressing complex systems with multiple decision-makers. The study explores the potential for more general models that combine two or more model types to gain deeper insights into the behavior of complex systems. While iterative optimization of subsystems is a common approach, the analysis shows that this method is unreliable and may not achieve system-wide optimality. Instead, constructing comprehensive models of the entire system is necessary, emphasizing the need for advanced mathematical methods, particularly in solving partial difference equations. However, such …
Capacity Expansion In Oligopoly, S. Sankar Sengupta, Gifford H. Symonds
Capacity Expansion In Oligopoly, S. Sankar Sengupta, Gifford H. Symonds
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
Imperfections of competition may be modeled in terms of stochastic dependence of the price realized by an individual firm on certain decision variables of the firm and of its competitors; or models may be constructed describing how the profits of each competitor are influenced stochastically by the price or quantity decisions of every other competitor. Models of the latter type seem to blur the distinction between what is traditionally understood as monopolistic competition and oligopoly. We shall, therefore, look for some operational definition of oligopoly, that is, a definition in terms of what firms do and how the market (if …
The Decomposition Principle In Engineering Problems: Towards A Multi-Level Concept Of Problem Solving, Hamilton A. Chase, S. Sankar Sengupta
The Decomposition Principle In Engineering Problems: Towards A Multi-Level Concept Of Problem Solving, Hamilton A. Chase, S. Sankar Sengupta
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
In a previous report it was shown that a large system of differential equations could be decomposed into smaller groups (called subproblems) such that the solutions of the subproblems converged to the solution of the original system. It was also shown that the decomposition was most effective when the original problem was decomposed along the boundaries of weakest interaction in terms of the Lipschitz constants. This last fact, however, is a desirable but not essential condition. The major purpose of the present report is to develop certain techniques which will facilitate the application of the decomposition principle as stated in …
The Decomposition Principle In Engineering Problems: Towards A Multi-Level Concept Of Problem-Solving, Hamilton A. Chase, S. Sankar Sengupta
The Decomposition Principle In Engineering Problems: Towards A Multi-Level Concept Of Problem-Solving, Hamilton A. Chase, S. Sankar Sengupta
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
The principal result of this report is a demonstration that systems of ordinary differential equations of engineering that are too large for the available computers can be solved by a principle of "decomposition." It is shown that the systems of resulting subproblems are members of a larger class of problems. The properties of this class are investigated and conditions stated under which the solutions of the subproblems converge to those of the original problem. A measure of the interaction between the subproblems is suggested for a subsequent investigation.
Errors, Estimates, Optimality, Shiv K. Gupta, Arthur J. Yaspan, Maurice W. Sasieni, Burton V. Dean
Errors, Estimates, Optimality, Shiv K. Gupta, Arthur J. Yaspan, Maurice W. Sasieni, Burton V. Dean
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
We are frequently faced with having to make decisions in situations where there is uncertainty about the outcome, but where we can exercise some control. In order to do so in a rational manner we must first define a criterion of optimality. Many workers have used the expected outcome when the actual outcome could not be determined in advance; they have then minimized the expected outcome*. Other definitions of optimality are possible and will be discussed here. A typical situation may be represented by a mathematical model E = f(X_i, Y_j) i = 1, 2, ... n, j = 1, …
The Determination Of Observational Errors Occurring In Information-Collection Processes, John C. Chambers, Donald F. Clark
The Determination Of Observational Errors Occurring In Information-Collection Processes, John C. Chambers, Donald F. Clark
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
An important factor in the determination of an optimal information-collection procedure is the observational error that occurs in the information-collection process. Until recently, information-collection theory has generally assumed either that observational error is irrelevant, or that observational error is not a function of the resources expended in making the observation. However, more recent developments in the theory have included the observational error factor. This paper demonstrates one method that might be used in evaluating observational error, and considers how to determine the variation of observational error with the resources expended. The feasibility of determining observational error is discussed in detail, …
Towards A Behavioral Theory Of Communication, Russell L. Ackoff
Towards A Behavioral Theory Of Communication, Russell L. Ackoff
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
This Research Memorandum develops a formal framework for understanding information as it relates to decision-making. It introduces the concept of an individual's "purposeful state," defined by objectives, valuation of those objectives, possible courses of action, their efficiencies, and the probabilities of their selection. The study defines the amount of information in a purposeful state using the probabilities of choosing among available actions and evaluates information conveyed in a message as the change in information before and after the message. Additionally, the amount of instruction and motivation in a purposeful state is quantified, based on the efficiencies and values of actions …
An Exploratory Study On The Consideration Of Observational Errors In The Design Of Information Collection Procedures, Arthur J. Yaspan, Michael H. Halbert, Russell L. Ackoff
An Exploratory Study On The Consideration Of Observational Errors In The Design Of Information Collection Procedures, Arthur J. Yaspan, Michael H. Halbert, Russell L. Ackoff
Research Reports from the Department of Operations
An information-collection situation is said to arise when a sample is to be taken from some universe, observations are to be made on the elements of the sample, and action is to be undertaken on the basis of these observations with the expectation of return. An information-collection procedure in such a situation is specified by assigning values to the following two quantities: n : the number of elements in the sample, l : the resources expended in making an observation on one element of the sample. An information-collection procedure is considered optimal, in this paper, if the expected return from …