The Persistent Deficit of Militia Officers in the Swiss Armed Forces: An Opportunity Cost Explanation

The Swiss Armed Forces are suffering from a structural deficit of militia officers despite good pay and a general supportive attitude in the population. Whereas, prior studies have focused on motivation to explain understaffing in armed forces, we offer an alternative approach based on opportunity cost. We model decision alternatives both within and outside a military organization, taking private sector employment as the reference point. We then monetize opportunity costs of leisure, fringe benefits, and private sector income not compensated. Our results suggest that in terms of opportunity cost, service as a militia officer is the least attractive option, an effect that we believe explains the persistent staff deficit. Implications of these findings for the literature and recruitment policy are discussed.     

An exact branch‐and‐price algorithm for multitasking scheduling on unrelated parallel machines

We consider the multitasking scheduling problem on unrelated parallel machines to minimize the total weighted completion time. In this problem, each machine processes a set of jobs, while the processing of a selected job on a machine may be interrupted by other available jobs scheduled on the same machine but unfinished. To solve this problem, we propose an exact branch‐and‐price algorithm, where the master problem at each search node is solved by a novel column generation scheme, called in‐out column generation, to maintain the stability of the dual variables. We use a greedy heuristic to obtain a set of initial columns to start the in‐out column generation, and a hybrid strategy combining a genetic algorithm and an exact dynamic programming algorithm to solve the pricing subproblems approximately and exactly, respectively. Using randomly generated data, we conduct numerical studies to evaluate the performance of the proposed solution approach. We also examine the effects of multitasking on the scheduling outcomes, with which the decision maker can justify making investments to adopt or avoid multitasking.     

装备维修器材生产路径决策的两阶启发式算法

当前装备供应保障系统中维修器材存在短缺、积压以及配送系统效率低下等问题,亟须对生产、库存和配送作业环节进行集成优化。为客观反映各个决策环节,将该问题公式化为一个混合整数线性规划模型,针对该模型多变量、多约束的特点,提出了一个基于数学规划的两阶启发式算法对其进行求解。结合算例,检验模型的可行性,并选取求解器CPLEX和一个类似的迭代算法与该算法在求解质量和运算时间方面进行对比与分析。结果表明,提出的模型是合理可行的,该算法在求解不同规模实例时表现出优异的性能。     

Addressing the “headwinds” faced by the European arms industry

ABSTRACT

The European arms industry is challenged by several adverse “headwinds.” Fragmentation leads to costly duplications and, in conjunction with stagnating budgets and sharply increasing costs, prevents firms from exploiting economies of scale and learning. This is exacerbated by size differentials vis-a-vis the leading US arms manufacturers and competition from emerging producers. As some “headwinds” are self-enforcing, far-reaching industrial and policy responses are required to improve the industry's outlook. As exports may not indefinitely compensate for low domestic demand, there is an economic imperative for further cross-border collaboration and consolidation. Despite various EU policy initiatives, progresses regarding the European Defence Equipment Market and strengthening the European Defence Technological Industrial Base have been relatively slow. It remains to be seen whether the European Defence Fund will be the proclaimed “game-changer,” raising competitiveness of the European arms industry. At the same time, the UK's withdrawal from the EU adds uncertainties.     

武器装备可用性设计对寿命周期费用的影响及控制

可用性设计是装备综合保障分析的重要内容.合适的可用度指标不但要满足装备效能要求,还应满足费用约束条件.为了设计并选择出费效比最高的保障方案,研究了可用性设计对装备寿命周期费用的影响,提出了运用可用度门限值来控制寿命周期费用的方法,并举例说明具体的应用.最后,就保障性设计中的费用权衡问题提出了几点建议.     

军用飞机采购价格的RBF神经网络预测

分析了现代军用飞机采购价格估算中存在的问题.应用基于k-均值聚类算法的RBF神经网络建立了军用飞机采购价格预测模型,并采用该模型对某型军用飞机采购价格进行了预测.与多元线性回归和BP神经网络的预测结果对比,建立的新型军用飞机采购价格预测模型具有更高的预测精度,为军用飞机采购价格预测提供了一种新的有效方法.     

软件保障费用估算模型研究

分析了软件保障费用的基本构成和一般表达式,构建了软件错误更改费用估算模型、新功能保障费用估算模型和有时间限制的保障费用估算模型,并结合实例进行了分析。软件保障模型估算的研究对提高软件保障费用估算的精度和效率有重要意义。     

Competition under time‐varying demands and dynamic lot sizing costs

We develop a competitive pricing model which combines the complexity of time‐varying demand and cost functions and that of scale economies arising from dynamic lot sizing costs. Each firm can replenish inventory in each of the T periods into which the planning horizon is partitioned. Fixed as well as variable procurement costs are incurred for each procurement order, along with inventory carrying costs. Each firm adopts, at the beginning of the planning horizon, a (single) price to be employed throughout the horizon. On the basis of each period's system of demand equations, these prices determine a time series of demands for each firm, which needs to service them with an optimal corresponding dynamic lot sizing plan. We establish the existence of a price equilibrium and associated optimal dynamic lotsizing plans, under mild conditions. We also design efficient procedures to compute the equilibrium prices and dynamic lotsizing plans.© 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 2009     

大规模无线传感器网络中面向ANY型查询的能量高效数据分发算法

在事件数据的push和pull之间实现更好的平衡是无线传感器网络数据分发算法节能的关键.分析了两种典型的有结构和无结构的数据分发算法,结合这两种算法使用的push pull策略,针对无线传感器网络的ANY型查询的特定需求,提出了两种基于有结构和无结构存储模式相结合的混合型数据分发算法SDC1&2.分析表明,这两种算法在保证push pull之间平衡的前提下解决了已有算法存在的热点问题、存储拷贝数多和查询性能低问题,能更好地适应ANY型查询的特点,是两种能量高效的数据分发算法.     

基于决策满意度的装备备件配置仿真优化方法

作为装备维修保障体系的重要组成部分,备件的合理配置是装备保障的核心,直接影响装备的使用可用度.而如何在保证装备的使用可用度情况下使备件的保障费用尽可能地减少,是决策者最关心的问题.提出一种基于决策满意度的装备备件配置仿真优化方法,通过蒙特卡罗仿真建立装备使用可用度模型,并在二级维修保障模型进行仿真的基础上,利用模糊多目标优化对备件的使用可用度和备件保障费用这两个指标进行综合评判,最后得到符合决策满意度的备件配置方案.