In this paper, we introduce a new ranking system where the data are preferences resulting from paired comparisons. When direct preferences are missing or unclear, then preferences are determined through indirect comparisons. Given that a ranking of n subjects implies paired preferences, the...

While optimal forest harvesting regulations (regional forest regeneration schedules) have been established using the linear programming technique, its modeling restriction is still a challenge in practice. In this study, we developed an alternative framework for establishing an optimal forest...

Long-term throughput, as a key performance indicator of a stochastic flow line, is affected by numerous parameters describing the features of the flow line, such as processing time and buffer size. Fast and accurate evaluation methods for a given set of values for those parameters are a...

In this paper, a hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm, based on imperialistic competition algorithm (ICA), harmony search (HS), and simulated annealing (SA) is presented. The body of the proposed hybrid algorithm is based on ICA. The proposed hybrid algorithm inherits the advantages of the process of...

We propose a computer intensive method for linear dimension reduction which minimizes the classification error directly. Simulated annealing (Bohachevsky et al 1986) as a modern optimization technique is used to solve this problem effectively. This approach easily allows to incorporate user...

We propose multivariate classification as a statistical tool to describe business cycles. These cycles are often analyzed as a univariate phenomenon in terms of GNP or industrial net production ignoring additional information in other economic variables. Multivariate classification overcomes...

This paper considers a three-stage assembly flowshop scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup times at the first stage and blocking times between each stage in such a way that the weighted mean completion time and makespan are minimized. Obtaining an optimal solution for this type of...

A vehicle routing problem is a significant problem that has attracted great attention from researchers in recent years. The main objectives of the vehicle routing problem are to minimize the traveled distance, total traveling time, number of vehicles and cost function of transportation. Reducing...

A cutting stock problem is one of the main and classical problems in operations research that is modeled as LP problem. Because of its NP-hard nature, finding an optimal solution in reasonable time is extremely difficult and at least non-economical. In this paper, two meta-heuristic algorithms,...