The optimal control problem of determining advertising efforts for a seasonal good in a heterogeneous market is considered. We characterize optimal advertising exposures under different conditions: the general situation in which several wide-spectrum media are available, under the assumption of...

In this paper a definition of the exploration performed by stochastic algorithms is proposed. It is based on the observation through cluster analysis of the solutions generated during a run. The probabilities associated by an algorithm to solution components are considered. Moreover, a...

We analyze a case study and we model it as a variant of the Traveling Salesman Problem. It is characterized by multiple time windows, variable service duration, priority constraints, and appointments with customers. The definition of the feasible region differs from the classical one: a maximum...

Decision on the use of different advertising media is a critical issue in marketing. Drawing on some literature related to the dynamic Nerlove-Arrow model, we propose a nonlinear programming framework for discussing how different advertising media may jointly affect the demand for a good....

The paper presents a review of the available literature on a class of problems denoted as dynamic routing-and-inventory (DRAl) problems. They are characterized by the simultaneous relevance of routing and of inventory issues in a dynamic environment, within the framework of distribution...

We consider some particular cases of the general problem which consists of stating if a shift vector of m elements corresponds to a permutation of the same number of objects. Shifts are defined as the steps each element in a given permutation must perform in order to reach its natural position,...

We analyze the connection between the optimal solutions of minimum time and fixed final time optimal control problems. We discuss some controllability conditions which guarantee the equivalence of the two problems. In fact, under such conditions, not only does an optimal control...