NCJ Number
36060
Date Published
1976
Length
76 pages
Annotation
THIS MONOGRAPH DISCUSSES THE THREE MAIN OPERATIONS RESEARCH MODELS FOR ARRIVING AT DECISIONS THAT WILL OPTIMIZE SOME QUANTITATIVELY MEASURED GOAL - LINEAR PROGRAMMING, INVENTORY MODELING, AND DECISION THEORY.
Abstract
LINEAR PROGRAMMING OR LINEAR OPTIMIZING CAN BE DEFINED AS A GEOMETRIC OR ALGEBRAIC PROCEDURE WHEREBY ONE FINDS THE OPTIMUM ALLOCATION OF SOMETHING BETWEEN TWO OR MORE ALTERNATIVES IN LIGHT OF CERTAIN GOALS AND IN LIGHT OF GIVEN CONSTRAINTS OR CONDITIONS. INVENTORY MODELING CAN BE DEFINED AS A GEOMETRIC OR ALGEBRAIC PROCEDURE WHEREBY ONE FINDS THE OPTIMUM QUANTITY OR LOT SIZE IN A SITUATION WHERE DOING EITHER TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE WILL RESULT IN EXCESSIVE COSTS OR UNDULY LOW BENEFITS. DECISION THEORY IS DEFINED AS A GEOMETRIC OR ALGEBRAIC PROCEDURE WHEREBY ONE CHOOSES AMONG ALTERNATIVES IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE GIVEN GOALS IN LIGHT OF PROBABILISTIC OR UNCERTAIN EVENTS. EXAMPLES OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING INCLUDE CHOOSING A MIX BETWEEN LAW REFORM AND CASE HANDLING IN OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM. IN DISCUSSING INVENTORY MODELING, ONE OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS USED IS DETERMINING THE OPTIMUM LEVEL OF PRETRIAL PUBLICITY. ONE OF THE EXAMPLES USED TO ILLUSTRATE DECISION THEORY IS DECIDING WHETHER TO RELEASE OR HOLD A DEFENDANT PRIOR TO TRIAL. ONE ELEMENT THAT ALL THREE MODELS HAVE IN COMMON IN THEIR PROCEDURES IS THAT THEY EACH INVOLVE TWO OR MORE SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS OR INEQUALITIES THAT INTERSECT WHEN GRAPHED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE POINTS OF INTERSECTION REPRESENT THE POINTS TOWARD WHICH THE BEHAVIOR OF AN INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS TENDS TO MOVE OR SHOULD MOVE IF HE WANTS TO MAXIMIZE GIVEN GOALS. A FOUR-PAGE REFERENCE LIST IS INCLUDED.