Complex optimization problems abound in the real world. In the face of
these challenges, established methods often fall short of providing
solutions. However, 'exact' and 'heuristic' techniques are dramatically
enhancing our ability to solve significant practical problems in the
world of optimization. They are changing the landscape in the field,
broadening the frontiers of the possible, and allowing us to engage
effectively with a whole new range of challenges. This monograph sets
out state-of-the-art optimization methods for tackling the 'linear
ordering problem' (LOP). Whereas important applications in business,
engineering and economics lie beyond the reach of methodologies that
have been the focus of academic research for three decades, the fresh
approaches set out in this volume provide practical solutions to the
LOP. The focus on the LOP does not limit the monograph's scope and
applicability, however. The exact and heuristic techniques outlined in
these pages can be put to use in any number of combinatorial
optimization problems. While the authors employ the LOP to illustrate
cutting-edge optimization technologies, the book is also a tutorial on
how to design effective and successful implementations of exact and
heuristic procedures alike. The information in these pages provides
readers with a toolkit that can be employed in a variety of settings. As
a result, the book will be of great interest to researchers and
practitioners in a number of fields, including computer science,
mathematics, operations research, management science, industrial
engineering, and economics. It is also suitable for use as a textbook on
issues of practical optimization in a masters course, or as a reference
book for engineering optimization algorithms. The authors have sought to
make the book accessible to as wide an audience as possible by providing
the reader with basic definitions and concepts in optimization. In
addition, the numerous tutorials aid speedy assimilation, while the
coverage given to the next generation of Flash software prepares readers
for future developments.
