Optimization Models and Algorithms for Services …downloads.hindawi.com/journals/sp/2017/4216785.pdfOptimization Models and Algorithms for Services and Operations Management LuZhen,1

EditorialOptimization Models and Algorithms for Services andOperations Management

Lu Zhen,1 Si Zhang,2 and XinchangWang3

1Shanghai University, Shanghai, China2George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA3Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA

Correspondence should be addressed to Lu Zhen; [email protected]

Received 2 July 2017; Accepted 2 July 2017; Published 8 August 2017

Copyright © 2017 Lu Zhen et al.This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, whichpermits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Optimization of performances has achieved great success inindustry and service domain. This way presents techniquesfor modeling real world decision problems and exhibits itsability to improve efficiency. Various types of algorithms aretreated, with explanations on how they work and what theirlimitations are. We are devoted to creating, extending, andsolving various models that arise in operations managementof various industries. Not only are some developed modelsuseful for theoretical research but also they can be imme-diately applied by practitioners. As all discussed models areproblems of real world decision, various solution methods ofthe relevant problems are presented, including data miningtechnologies and intelligence algorithms. The most recentachievements are obtained in the field of optimizationmodelsand algorithms for services and operations management.

The articles contained in the present issue include theproblems of industry and service domain. Most of them usemixed-integer linear programming models to solve the realworld decision problems.

Teaching assistants (TAs) are essential in many depart-ments in universities because of limited numbers of lecturers.So how the most appropriate teaching assistants will beassigned to the tutorials in a department? The contributionby X. Qu et al. “Mixed-Integer Linear Programming Modelsfor Teaching Assistant Assignment and Extensions” providesa model about the objective to maximize the number of tuto-rials that are taught by the most suitable teaching assistants.

The tunnel safety issue has attracted more and moreattention from the public as the development of the urbanroad tunnels. So how can the life cycle costs of tunnel safety

provisions be minimized? In a paper by P. Li and X. Quentitled “Optimal Allocation of Tunnel Safety ProvisionsBased on a Quantitative Risk Assessment Model,” by takingadvantage of the special structure of the optimization model,a Bi-Section Search and Bound Algorithm is designed toefficiently solve the problem.

Biofuel has become one of the most promising energiesto replace fossil fuels in transportation sector, because ofits various biomass and wide range of sources as well ashuge potential for energy saving and emission reduction. Butmost of them have gone out of production due to both feed-stock supply and biodiesel demand limitations until now.Thepaper by Y. Zhang et al. entitled “Robust Optimization onRegionalWCO-for-Biodiesel SupplyChain under Supply andDemand Uncertainties” provides a way about how to studyoptimizing WCO-for-biodiesel supply chain with uncertain-ties to improve biorefineries’ ability to cope with the poorenvironment.

In the EOQ inventory model with presale policy fordeteriorating items, the demand rate depends on both on-hand inventory and selling price. In thework by L. Zhao and J.You entitled “Optimal Pricing and Ordering Policy for Dete-riorating Items with Stock-and-Price Dependent Demandand Presale Rebate,” under the assumption that all the pre-sale orders are fully backlogged with waiting-time depend-ent rebate, they derived optimal pricing and ordering policyby designing an effective algorithm.

Parallel machine systems are widely adopted in a varietyof manufacturing environments, such as the semiconduc-tor manufacturing industry and the electronics industry.

HindawiScientific ProgrammingVolume 2017, Article ID 4216785, 2 pageshttps://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4216785

https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4216785

2 Scientific Programming

The work by H. Hu et al. entitled “Robust Parallel MachineScheduling Problem with Uncertainties and Sequence-Dependent Setup Time” provides a method about the uni-form parallel machine problem in the plastic productionsystem, which involves uncertain processing time, job releasetime, and setup time for mold.

Product returns have been one of themain sources result-ing in inefficiency in Internet retail market and managersare continuously striving for a more scientific and efficientnetwork layout to arrange the returned goods. In the paper byX.Wang et al. entitled “ANetworkOptimization Research forProduct Returns Using Modified Plant Growth SimulationAlgorithm,” the authors proposed a mixed-integer nonlinearprogramming model with the aim of minimizing total costand created a high-efficiency method, the Modified PlantGrowth Simulation Algorithm (MPGSA), to optimize theproblem.

Reasonable purchasing price and good quality of rawmaterials can reduce manufacturing cost in supply chainnetwork. In the paper by H. Hu et al. entitled “A Mixed Inte-ger Programming Model for Supplier Selection and OrderAllocation Problem with Fuzzy Multiobjective,” the authorsshowed that three objectives have different weights whichare given by experts. The method of fuzzy analytic hierarchyprocess (FAHP) is used to calculate the weighted values.And the result shows that a weighted model is more advant-ageous for supplier selection and order allocation.

The effective arrangements for the supporting operationsof aircrafts in flight deck are critical to the aircraft carrier.Thepaper by L. Yu et al. entitled “An Extended Flexible Job ShopScheduling Model for Flight Deck Scheduling with Priority,Parallel Operations, and Sequence Flexibility” describes anovel mixed integer liner programming formulation (MILP)for the flight deck scheduling problem. The results show thattheir algorithm can meet both the operational relations andthe takeoff priority requirements.

The significant problem is about the key resource schedul-ing of container terminals for energy-efficient operation interminalmanagement. In the paper byD. Chang et al. entitled“Defining Scheduling Problems for Key Resources in Energy-Efficient Port Service Systems,” an energy-efficient evaluationmodel of the key resource scheduling is proposed, and con-straint set of key resource scheduling of a container terminalfor energy-efficient operation is established in this paper.

With the international container, transportation hasexperienced rapid growth. Yard crane equipment and yardspace are the key resources in the container terminal yard.In the paper by C. Tan and J. He entitled “Integrated YardSpace Allocation and Yard Crane Deployment Problem inResource-Limited Container Terminals,” the authors studiedthe integrated yard space allocation and yard crane deploy-ment problem in resource-limited container terminals whereyard space and yard cranes are extremely scarce.

In order to get quicker than the standard situation indetecting small and moderate shifts in the process of serviceand management operation, the paper by S. Yu et al. entitled“Statistical Design of an Adaptive Synthetic𝑋 Control Chartwith Run Rule on Service and Management Operation”provides an improved synthetic control chart based on hybrid

adaptive scheme and run rule scheme is introduced toenhance the statistical performance of traditional syntheticcontrol chart on service and management operation.

Operations management has become one of the mostwidely explored researching areas. In the paper by H. Fei etal. entitled “A Survey of Recent Research on OptimizationModels and Algorithms for Operations Management fromthe Process View,” the purpose is to give an overview ofoptimization modeling and resolution approaches, which areapplied to operations management.

We hope that the application of the optimization modelin industry and service domain will serve the services andoperations management.

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our appreciation to all the authorsfor their informative contributions and the reviewers for theirsupport and constructive critiques in making this specialissue possible.

Lu ZhenSi Zhang

Xinchang Wang

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Optimization Models and Algorithms for Services …downloads.hindawi.com/journals/sp/2017/4216785.pdfOptimization Models and Algorithms for Services and Operations Management LuZhen,1