Mohammadreza Mehregan; Sahar Jafari; Amir Azara; Shirin Zahedi
Volume 3, Issue 2 , September 2022, , Pages 113-129
Abstract
Purpose: This paper examines the application of the strategic choice approach and robustness analysis as a case study on decision-making about product and sales promotion.Methodology: In this research, the strategic choice approach, a research method of soft operations research, is used to analyze, structure, ...
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Purpose: This paper examines the application of the strategic choice approach and robustness analysis as a case study on decision-making about product and sales promotion.Methodology: In this research, the strategic choice approach, a research method of soft operations research, is used to analyze, structure, and create decision trees. Also, the robustness analysis technique has been used to select the final scenario accurately. A questionnaire was used to assess each scenario in the decision tree; all employees of a knowledge-based company completed 40 questionnaires. The reliability of the questionnaire was 0.89 with Cronbach's alpha index. Also, these questionnaires were aggregated using the arithmetic mean.Findings: This study presented a combined approach of strategic choice and robustness analysis to structuring and selecting the final scenario in a decision process. The proposed model was implemented in a case study on decision-making regarding a company's sales promotion strategies.Originality/Value: The current research helps structure and quantify decisions while using research techniques in soft operations, such as the strategic choice approach and robustness analysis.
Alireza Salamatbakhsh; Reza Tavakkoli-Moghaddam; Ali Pahlevani
Volume 1, Issue 4 , February 2021, , Pages 310-319
Abstract
Purpose: In the real world, the vehicles should return to the depot after serving the last customer's location because of decreased related costs. This paper investigates the problem of increasing service time by using the stochastic time for each tour such that the total travelling time of the vehicles ...
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Purpose: In the real world, the vehicles should return to the depot after serving the last customer's location because of decreased related costs. This paper investigates the problem of increasing service time by using the stochastic time for each tour such that the total travelling time of the vehicles is limited to a specific limit based on a defined probability. Methodology: It is proven that classic models in vehicle routing problems (VRPs) belong to the class of NP-hard ones; thus, due to its complexity using exact methods in large-scale problems, a meta-heuristic-based differential evolution (DE) algorithm is proposed. Findings: The obtained results indicate the efficiency of the proposed DE algorithm. Originality/Value: The total travel time is limited to a definite probability per cent, and other constraints (e.g., capacity and time distribution restrictions) are considered. In contrast, the total cost of the transportation is minimized.
