A note on the limitations of goal programming as observed in resource allocation for marine environmental protection

After first formulating the problem of the Marine Environmental Protection program of the Coast Guard as a multiple-objective linear program, we investigate the applicability and limitations of goal programming. We point out how the preemptive goal-programming approach is incompatible with utility preferences. Then we observe the tendency of optimal solutions for standard linear goal programs to occur at extreme points. We also note problems of more general approaches, such as dealing with additively separable approximations to preferences.     

A heuristic network procedure for the assembly line balancing problem

Proposed is a Heuristic Network (HN) Procedure for balancing assembly lines. The procedure uses simple heuristic rules to generate a network which is then traversed using a shortest route algorithm to obtain a heuristic solution. The advantages of the HN Procedure are: a) it generally yields better solutions than those obtained by application of the heuristics, and b) sensitivity analysis with different values of cycle time is possible without having to regenerate the network. The rationale for its effectiveness and its application to problems with paralleling are presented. Computational experience with the procedure on up to 50 task test problems is provided.     

Reliability growth of repairable systems

This paper considers the problem of modeling the reliability of a repairable system or device that is experiencing reliability improvement. Such a situation arises when system failure modes are gradually being corrected by a test-fix-test-fix procedure, which may include design changes. A dynamic reliability model for this process is discussed and statistical techniques are derived for estimating the model parameters and for testing the goodness-of-fit to observed data. The reliability model analyzed was first proposed as a graphical technique known as Duane plots, but can also be viewed as a nonhomogeneous Poisson process with a particular mean value function.     

Concentrated firing in many-versus-many duels

A simple stochastic-duel model, based on alternate firing, is proposed. This model is shown to be asymptotically equivalent, for small hit probabilities, to other known models, such as simple and square duels. Alternate firing introduces an interaction between opponents and allows one to consider multiple duels. Conditions under which concentrated firing is better or worse than parallel firing are found by calculation and sometimes by simulation. The only parameters considered are the combat group sizes (all units within a group are assumed identical), the hit probabilities and the number of hits necessary to destroy an opposing unit.     

Operational definitions of inventory record accuracy

An inventory stock record is in error when the information on the stock record is not in agreement with the actual physical situation. We address the questions of what is meant by inventory record accuracy as reported in the literature and what should be meant by this term, in the context of the inventory record accuracy problem defined by the Naval Supply Systems Command. The need for, and suggestions of, operational definitions of error measures are demonstrated in terms of the reporting of accuracy statistics, the formulation of inventory record accuracy goals, and the determination of corrective measures.     

On the minimization of a certain convex function arising in applied decision theory

The author, in an expository paper [4], has presented an algorithm for choosing a non-negative vector

     

A deterministic inventory model for reparable items

A reparable inventory system has two distinct inventories within it—the inventory of items ready-for-issue and the inventory of carcasses available for repair. A reparable item is usually rebuilt upon failure, but the scrap rate in the repair process is generally positive. Consequently, new items must be procured from time to time to replace those item: which were scrapped. The ready-for-issue inventory has two input sources—procurement and repair, This paper develops a deterministic inbentory model for the reparable inventory system, and determines the optimal procurement and repair quantities.