Two heuristics based on branch and bound (B&B) are developed to solve closed-loop material requirements planning (MRP) lot-sizing problems that have general product structures and variable costs. A “look ahead method'’(LAM) heuristic allows for variable production/purchasing costs and uses a...

The four dimensional space-time paradigm is cohesive and inclusive, and better identifies the major constraints on goods and/or services production. It is intended to analyze and synthesize both the similarities and differences among industries and companies positioned in matrix categories, and...

The research on lot sizing is extensive; however, no author in the literature reviewed to date provides an optimal solution algorithm to a prevalent problem which is found in manufacturing. A multi-level, general product-structure, variable-cost model is presented which follows the procedure of a...

Competitive market economies are a relatively new economic system, and while very productive, they are not self-sustaining, are unstable and require significant state support and regulation to function properly. Nevertheless, self-regulating market economies are superior to other...

The goal of this paper is to test if the promised U.S. electrical system high reliabilitystandards are being maintained, once states deregulate their electric utilities. This research is the first in the literature to combine states that offer retail choice, by deregulating their electric...

For the first time in the literature, the supply and demand model, with 2011-2014 data, is used to analyze the Texas Interconnection grid electricity market. The electric utility industry’s production function, fixed, variable and total cost (TC) curve represents the supply curve. The demand...