OPERATIONAL RESEARCH AND LOGISTICS

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

000917L

Academic Year of enrolment:

2023

Year of supply:

2023/2024

Type of Course:

Elective Course

Degree:

Course of 2nd Cycle Degree in ECONOMICS AND COMMERCE

Disciplinary Sector:

Operational Research

Language:

Italian

Location:

PESCARA

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

MOSCA Raffaele

Cycle:

First semester

Hours of classroom activity:

Individual study hours:

153

Prerequisites:

None

Objectives

The course supports the educational objective of the CLEC/M (Degree Course in Economics and Commerce - Master's degree course "Economics and Statistics") which concerns the application of quantitative methods to economic reality.
In particular the student:
:: will know elements of a discipline that tries to model (in mathematical terms) and solve (even if with the support of software) optimization problems in real life;
:: will be able to: (i) eventually recognize an optimization problem in real life; (ii) possibly modeling this optimization problem in mathematical terms; (iii) eventually solve this problem (also via Excel).

Contents

The course: (i) shows how various real-life problems can be modeled in mathematical terms with reference to a basic range of optimization problems; (ii) for this basic range of optimization problems, it introduces both hints of theory (linear programming, integer linear programming) and hints of methodology for their resolution (also via Excel); (iii) focuses on some specific optimization problems.

Extended Syllabus

MODULE 1:
Introduction: Mathematical Programming, Linear Programming.
Models: models of (Integer) Linear Programming.
Essentials on Linear Programming: geometry of Linear Programming (vertices and basic solutions), Simplex Method; Duality in Linear Programming: Dual Problem, fundemantal properties, economic interpretation.
Essentials on Integer Linear Programming: Unimodularity, Branch and Bound Method.
Solution of (Integer) Linear Programming via Excel Solver.
Particular Cases and Alternative Solutions:
- Minimum Cost Path Problem: Djikstra Algorithm;
- Project Planning Problem: PERT Method;
- Maximum Flow Problem: Ford and Fulkerson Algorithm;
- Production Planning Problem: Wagner and Whitin Method;
- Plant Location Problem: Local Search Algorithms.

MODULE 2:
Introduction: recalls from Module 1.
Some examples: veichle loading; balancing veichles loading; involving the minimum number of veichles; distribution network (re-definition); service network (re-definition); supply (re-definition); a trip in highway.
Minimum Spanning Tree Problem - MST.
Transportation Problem: two generalizations.
Traveling Salesman Problem - TSP.
Vehicle Routing Problem - VRP.
Simulations via Excel Solver.

Recommended Bibliography

[1] R. Baldacci, M. Dell’Amico, Fondamenti di Ricerca Operativa, Pitagora Editrice Bologna (2002) (in eventuale alternativa a [2]).

[2] M. Fischetti, Lezioni di Ricerca Operativa, Ed. Libreria Progetto Padova (1999).

[3] A. Sassano, Modelli e Algoritmi della Ricerca Operativa, Ed. Franco Angeli (1999).

[4] S. Martello, M. G. Speranza, Ricerca Operativa per l'Economia e per l'Impresa, Ed. Esculapio (2012)

[5] material on the website of DEC (Dipartimento di Economia - Pescara)

Methods of Provision

Conventional

Teaching Methods

The course will be carried out with frontal teaching (with exercises) and with homeworks.

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

The exam is a 2-hour written test - both the student and the teacher can ask in addition for an oral test for further verifications - consisting of three or four questions and/or exercises, to verify both the acquired knowledge (through theoretical questions) both the acquired skills to recognize, model, solve optimization problems (through specific exercises); regarding the grade of the written exam, each question and/or exercise will give 7.5 or 10 points (depending on their total number); regarding the mark of the oral exam (optional), it can increase or decrease the mark of the written exam by at most 5 points.

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree