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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2007.10.019 Byline: Kazuki Matsumoto (a), Hiroyoshi Miwa (b), Toshihide Ibaraki (b) Keywords: Scheduling; Corrugated paper; Complexity; Contiguous set; Integer programming Abstract: Corrugated paper is produced by gluing three types of papers of the same breadth. Given a set of orders, we first assign each order to one of the standard breadths, and then sequence those assigned to each standard breadth so that they are continuously manufactured from the three rolls of the specified standard breadth equipped in the machine called corrugator. Here we are asked to achieve multi-goals of minimizing total length of roll papers, total loss of papers caused by the differences between standard breadths and real breadths of the orders, and the number of machine stops needed during production. We use integer programming to assign orders to standard breadths, and then develop a special purpose algorithm to sequence the orders assigned to each standard breadth. This is a first attempt to handle scheduling problems of the corrugator machine. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Applied Mathematics and Physics, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan (b) Department of Informatics, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan Article History: Received 24 March 2007; Accepted 5 October 2007

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2007.08.033 Byline: Philip C. Jones, Jeffrey W. Ohlmann Keywords: OR in agriculture; Forest economics; Normal forest; Regulated forest; Newsvendor model; Forestry supply chain management Abstract: We consider a vertically integrated papermaking operation composed of an integrated pulp and paper mill with its regional supply network. Considering land procurement and harvest rotation as strategic decision variables, we construct a model to establish a long-range timber supply plan that minimizes the total discounted cost of meeting annual virgin wood fiber demand over an infinite horizon. Under appropriate assumptions on costs and storage, the land procurement and harvest rotation decisions are separable with harvest rotation being determined via a forest economics-type equation and land procurement being determined by a newsvendor-type equation. Author Affiliation: Department of Management Sciences, 108 John Pappajohn Business Building, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1994, United States Article History: Received 18 January 2006; Accepted 24 August 2007

A container loading software package for solving the different problems involved in the containerization of pulp and paper products is presented. The software boasts of a packing algorithm for creating a two-dimensional pattern for placing reels on the floor of container, a heuristic algorithm for two-dimensional stowing of reels of a common diameter and a second packing algorithm for stowing pallets of various sizes. Its applicability has been validated in several decision situations which include the determination of feasible reel diameters and efficient stowage patterns.

Issues are presented concerning the primitive concepts and oversights in the 'jump search' heuristic presented by S. Tsubakitani and J.R. Evans in their research paper entitled 'An empirical study of a new metaheuristic for the traveling salesman problem'.

Usage of pairwise comparison method in sense of analytic hierarchy process to rank factors affecting industrial decision making process is discussed.

Scandinavian companies have tended to be predominant in the European paper and pulp industry, but this is changing as waste paper is increasingly used as a raw material. The business system framework is a useful tool for analysing the paper and pulp industry. In some ways an integrated European business system is developing with convergence between systems in Scandinavia and elsewhere in Europe. However, core competencies such as conservation of forests still divide the Scandinavian system from those elsewhere in Europe.

A revision was made of the Christofides, Alvarez-Valdez and Tamarit (CAT) procedure for solving the single project scheduling problem. A 9-activity counterexample problem was used to prove that the branching strategy that was originally implemented can generate nonoptimal solutions. The construction of additional precedence relations or delay arcs used in the original CAT procedure for delaying activities was proven to be highly restrictive.

This article considers recent 'end of history' and 'end of nature' hypotheses in the context of new scientific and socioeconomic paradigms, and seeks a broader understanding of the nature of information society. Through a review of recent work on future socioeconomic and scientific and technological developments, the conservationist view is rejected in favour of 'wise design and governance of evolution'. Planning and forecasting have a central role in this process. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2006.09.007 Byline: Eric Taillard Author Affiliation: HEIG-VD, University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland, 1, Route de Cheseaux, Case postale CH-1401 Yverdon-Les-Bains, Switzerland

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2005.08.011 Byline: J.B.G. Frenk Abstract: In this technical note, we give a short proof based on some standard results in convex analysis of some important characterization results listed in Theorems 3 and 4 of Benson [Benson, H.P., 2006. Fractional programming with convex quadratic forms and functions. European Journal of Operational Research]. Actually our result is slightly more general since we do not specify the nonempty convex set X. For clarity we use the same notation for the different equivalent optimization problems as done in Benson (2006). Author Affiliation: Econometric Institute, Erasmus University, P.O. Box 1738, 3000DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands Article History: Received 11 February 2005; Accepted 3 August 2005

Convex analysis of quadratic equations, using fractional programming, is discussed.

Research describing project scheduling problems is examined. In particular a critical analysis of classification schemes compatible with machine scheduling proposed by Brucker et al. is presented.

The trim loss problem of a paper-converting company is considered using mixed integer non-linear programming and mixed integer linear programming (MILP). The resulting algorithm incorporating MILP has been found to be globally optimal in generating cutting patterns as it takes into account widths and lengths of paper rolls as well as cutting patterns and constraints in conversion.

Supply chain problem of a large international pulp producer with five pulp mills located in Scandinavia is studied. The company currently uses manual planning for harvesting and transportation of pulp, production scheduling, and distribution of products to customers.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.07.009 Byline: Sangmun Shin (a), Pauline Kongsuwon (a), Byung Rae Cho (b) Keywords: Process parameters; Tolerance; Quality loss; Lambert W function; Optimization Abstract: Most of previous research on tolerance optimization seeks the optimal tolerance allocation with process parameters such as fixed process mean and variance. This research, however, differs from the previous studies in two ways. First, an integrated optimization scheme is proposed to determine both the optimal settings of those process parameters and the optimal tolerance simultaneously which is called a parametric tolerance optimization problem in this paper. Second, most tolerance optimization models require rigorous optimization processes using numerical methods, since closed-form solutions are rarely found. This paper shows how the Lambert W function, which is often used in physics, can be applied efficiently to this parametric tolerance optimization problem. By using the Lambert W function, one can express the optimal solutions to the parametric tolerance optimization problem in a closed-form without resorting to numerical methods. For verification purposes, numerical examples for three cases are conducted and sensitivity analyses are performed. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Systems Management and Engineering, Inje University, Gimhae 621749, South Korea (b) Department of Industrial Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA Article History: Received 5 December 2008; Accepted 7 July 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.06.020 Byline: David Hager (a)(b), Lasse B. Andersen (a) Keywords: Risk management; OR in financial institutions; Bayesian networks; Loss determinants; Advanced measurement approach Abstract: Modelling loss severity from rare operational risk events with potentially catastrophic consequences has proved a difficult task for practitioners in the finance industry. Efforts to develop loss severity models that comply with the BASEL II Capital Accord have resulted in two principal model directions where one is based on scenario generated data and the other on scaling of pooled external data. However, lack of relevant historical data and difficulties in constructing relevant scenarios frequently raise questions regarding the credibility of the resulting loss predictions. In this paper we suggest a knowledge based approach for establishing severity distributions based on loss determinants and their causal influence. Loss determinants are key elements affecting the actual size of potential losses, e.g. market volatility, exposure and equity capital. The loss severity distribution is conditional on the state of the identified loss determinants, thus linking loss severity to underlying causal drivers. We suggest Bayesian Networks as a powerful framework for quantitative analysis of the causal mechanisms determining loss severity. Leaning on available data and expert knowledge, the approach presented in this paper provides improved credibility of the loss predictions without being dependent on extensive data volumes. Author Affiliation: (a) University of Stavanger, Department of Industrial Economics, Risk Management and Planning, 4036 Stavanger, Norway (b) Bayes Risk Management AS, P.O. Box 6069, 4088 Stavanger, Norway Article History: Received 10 June 2009; Accepted 14 June 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.06.001 Byline: Wen Cao, Bo Jiang, Deming Zhou Keywords: Retailing; Demand uncertainty; Retail channel structure; Duopoly competition Abstract: Motivated by the business practice whereby some manufacturers open their own retail stores despite the existence of more efficient independent retailers, this paper examines the distribution channel choice of competing manufacturers under demand uncertainty and resale price maintenance. We characterize the conditions for the equilibrium channel structures. We find that (1) manufacturers tend to distribute products with more design attributes through their own retail stores, (2) manufacturers with highly substitutable products are more likely to use independent retailers, and (3) at least one manufacturer has more incentive to open its own retail stores when facing an increase of the market size asymmetry. Author Affiliation: Department of Decision Sciences and Managerial Economics, Faculty of Business Administration, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Article History: Received 13 April 2009; Accepted 1 June 2010 Article Note: (footnote) [star] The authors are listed alphabetically and all authors contributed to the paper equally.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.07.016 Byline: M.K. Luhandjula (a), J.W. Joubert (b)(c) Keywords: Fuzziness; Randomness; Optimisation; Probabilistic set; Uncertain probability; Fuzzy random variable Abstract: This paper is on fuzzy stochastic optimisation, an area that is quickly coming to the forefront of mathematical programming under uncertainty. An even stronger motivating factor for the growing interest in this area can be found in the ubiquitous nature of decision problems involving hybrid imprecision. More precisely, we consider a range of situations in which random factors and fuzzy information co-occur in an optimisation setting. Related hybrid optimisation models are discussed and converted into deterministic terms through appropriate tools like probabilistic set, uncertain probability, and fuzzy random variable, making good use of uncertainty principles. We also discuss ways to deal with the resulting problems. Numerical examples carried out using class optimisation software demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approaches. We shall end this article by pointing out some of the challenges that currently occupy researchers in this emerging field. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Decision Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, Unisa 0003, South Africa (b) Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa (c) Built Environment, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa Article History: Received 2 September 2008; Accepted 14 July 2010 Article Note: (footnote) [star] An early version of this paper was presented at the NAFIPS 2008 Conference, New York, USA, May 2008.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.07.015 Byline: Pedro Godinho (a), Joana Dias (b) Keywords: Location; Game theory; Simultaneous decisions; Optimization algorithms; Nash equilibrium Abstract: In this paper we will describe and study a competitive discrete location problem in which two decision-makers (players) will have to decide where to locate their own facilities, and customers will be assigned to the closest open facilities. We will consider the situation in which the players must decide simultaneously, unsure about the decisions of one another, and we will present the problem in a franchising environment. Most problems described in the literature consider sequential rather than simultaneous decisions. In a competitive environment, most problems consider that there is a set of known and already located facilities, and new facilities will have to be located, competing with the existing ones. In the presence of more than one decision-maker, most problems found in the literature belong to the class of Stackelberg location problems, where one decision-maker, the leader, locates first and then the other decision-maker, the follower, locates second, knowing the decisions made by the first. These types of problems are sequential and differ significantly from the problem tackled in this paper, where we explicitly consider simultaneous, non-cooperative discrete location decisions. We describe the problem and its context, propose some mathematical formulations and present an algorithmic approach that was developed to find Nash equilibria. Some computational tests were performed that allowed us to better understand some of the features of the problem and the associated Nash equilibria. Among other results, we conclude that worsening the situation of a player tends to benefit the other player, and that the inefficiency of Nash equilibria tends to increase with the level of competition. Author Affiliation: (a) Faculdade de Economia and GEMF, Universidade de Coimbra, Av. Dias da Silva, 165, 3004-512 Coimbra, Portugal (b) Faculdade de Economia and Inesc-Coimbra, Universidade de Coimbra, Av. Dias da Silva, 165, 3004-512 Coimbra, Portugal Article History: Received 17 November 2009; Accepted 14 July 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.07.013 Byline: Ryusuke Hohzaki (a), Hiroki Maehara (b) Keywords: Dynamic programming; Game theory; Inspection game; Two-person zero-sum; Multi-period Abstract: This paper deals with an inspection game of Customs and a smuggler during some days. Customs has two options of patrolling or not. The smuggler can take two strategies of shipping its cargo of contraband or not. Two players have several opportunities to take an action during a limited number of days but they may discard some of the opportunities. When the smuggling coincides with the patrol, there occurs one of three events: the capture of the smuggler by Customs, a success of the smuggling and nothing new. If the smuggler is captured or no time remains to complete the game, the game ends. There have been many studies on the inspection game so far by the multi-stage game model, where both players at a stage know players' strategies taken at the previous stage. In this paper, we consider a two-person zero-sum single-shot game, where the game proceeds through multiple periods but both players do not know any strategies taken by their opponents on the process of the game. We apply dynamic programming to the game to exhaust all equilibrium points on a strategy space of player. We also clarify the characteristics of optimal strategies of players by some numerical examples. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Computer Science, National Defense Academy, Yokosuka 239-8686, Japan (b) Japan Coast Guard, Japan Article History: Received 20 December 2009; Accepted 12 July 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.07.012 Byline: Derek Atkins (a), Liping Liang (b) Keywords: Marketing; Supply chain outsourcing; Channel competition Abstract: This note generalises models from two influential papers in the theory of supply chain outsourcing under competition: . The first paper studies the impact of competitive intensity on the outsourcing decision from the supplier's point of view for linear supply cost; the second paper examines the impact of supply economies of scale from the retailer's point of view when selling perfectly substitutable products. By considering competitive intensity and supply economies of scale simultaneously, we find that equilibrium channel structures are primarily determined by the competitive intensity, which is true even under supply diseconomies of scale; the key message in the second paper of scale economies driving retailer's outsourcing supply decision is highly dependent on the assumption of perfect substitutes. Our finding has no qualitative difference when either the suppliers or the retailers are modeled as the channel leader and make the outsourcing decisions. Author Affiliation: (a) Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia, 2053 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z2 (b) Department of Computing and Decision Sciences, Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, N.T., Hong Kong Article History: Received 1 December 2009; Accepted 9 July 2010 Article Note: (footnote) [star] The authors are grateful to the editor and two anonymous referees for their insightful comments that helped improve this note.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.05.016 Byline: E. Khorram, M. Zarepisheh, B.A. Ghaznavi-ghosoni Keywords: Multiple objective programming; Vector optimization; Preemptive priority; Lexicographic ordering; Sensitivity analysis Abstract: This paper deals with a class of multiple objective linear programs (MOLP) called lexicographic multiple objective linear programs (LMOLP). In this paper, by providing an efficient algorithm which employs the preceding computations as well, it is shown how we can solve the LMOLP problem if the priority of the objective functions is changed. In fact, the proposed algorithm is a kind of sensitivity analysis on the priority of the objective functions in the LMOLP problems. Author Affiliation: Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424, Hafez Avenue, 15914 Tehran, Iran Article History: Received 9 May 2008; Accepted 13 May 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2009.12.019 Byline: John Mingers (a), Leroy White (b) Keywords: Systems thinking; Systems approach; Complexity theory; System dynamics; Soft systems methodology; Cybernetics; Critical systems; Multimethodology Abstract: The systems approach, or systems thinking, has been intimately connected with the development of OR and management science initially through the work of founders such as Churchman and Ackoff and latterly through innovations such as soft systems. In this paper we have undertaken a review of the contribution that systems thinking has been making more recently, especially to the practice of OR. Systems thinking is a discipline in its own right, with many theoretical and methodological developments, but it is also applicable to almost any problem area because of its generality, and so such a review must always be selective. We have looked at the literature from both a theoretical and an applications orientation. In the first part we consider the main systems theories and methodologies in terms of their recent developments and also their applications. This covers: the systems approach, complexity theory, cybernetics, system dynamics, soft OR and PSMs, critical systems and multimethodology. In the second part we review the main domains of application: strategy, information systems, organisations, production and operations, ecology and agriculture, and medicine and health. Our overall conclusion is that while systems may not be well established institutionally, in terms of academic departments, it is incredibly healthy in terms of the quantity and variety of its applications. Author Affiliation: (a) Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury CT7 2PE, UK (b) Department of Management, University of Bristol, UK Article History: Received 17 April 2009; Accepted 17 December 2009 Article Note: (footnote) [star] Because of the large number of references some of them are not printed with the paper but they are available online at the publisher's website. These references are cited in italics.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.07.005 Byline: Rommel G. Regis Keywords: Global optimization; Stochastic search; Random search; Convergence; Evolutionary algorithm; Evolutionary programming Abstract: This paper presents some simple technical conditions that guarantee the convergence of a general class of adaptive stochastic global optimization algorithms. By imposing some conditions on the probability distributions that generate the iterates, these stochastic algorithms can be shown to converge to the global optimum in a probabilistic sense. These results also apply to global optimization algorithms that combine local and global stochastic search strategies and also those algorithms that combine deterministic and stochastic search strategies. This makes the results applicable to a wide range of global optimization algorithms that are useful in practice. Moreover, this paper provides convergence conditions involving the conditional densities of the random vector iterates that are easy to verify in practice. It also provides some convergence conditions in the special case when the iterates are generated by elliptical distributions such as the multivariate Normal and Cauchy distributions. These results are then used to prove the convergence of some practical stochastic global optimization algorithms, including an evolutionary programming algorithm. In addition, this paper introduces the notion of a stochastic algorithm being probabilistically dense in the domain of the function and shows that, under simple assumptions, this is equivalent to seeing any point in the domain with probability 1. This, in turn, is equivalent to almost sure convergence to the global minimum. Finally, some simple results on convergence rates are also proved. Author Affiliation: Mathematics Department, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA Article History: Received 29 September 2008; Accepted 3 July 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2010.06.005 Byline: Benjamin Gidron Keywords: Unique attributes of NPOs; Societal roles of Third Sector; Organizational sub-systems; Participatory management patterns; Civil society Abstract: The paper reviews the literature on the unique attributes of non-profit organizations (NPOs) as compared to business and/or public organizations. It shows that this literature is not dealing in detail with the unique organizational attributes of NPOs and proposes ways to do that. It identifies four organizational sub-systems where unique attributes can find their expression: (1) service delivery; (2) governance; (3) participants/workforce; (4) resourcing. It then links this literature to the literature on the Third/non-profit Sector and its unique societal roles. The paper suggests that in order for Third Sector organizations to fulfill their unique societal role of contribution to civil society, the structure of their sub-systems and their management patterns should provide opportunities for participatory practices. Author Affiliation: The Guilford Glazer School of Business, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.05.043 Byline: Chenghu Ma (a), Wing-Keung Wong (b) Keywords: Decision analysis; Risk analysis; Risk attributes; Utility; Stochastic dominance Abstract: Is it possible to obtain an objective and quantifiable measure of risk backed up by choices made by some specific groups of rational investors? To answer this question, in this paper we establish some behavior foundations for various types of VaR models, including VaR and conditional-VaR, as measures of downside risk. In this paper, we will establish some logical connections among VaRs, conditional-VaR, stochastic dominance, and utility maximization. Though supported to some extents with unanimous choices by some specific groups of expected or non-expected-utility investors, VaRs as profiles of risk measures at various levels of risk tolerance are not quantifiable - they can only provide partial and incomplete risk assessments for risky prospects. We also include in our discussion the relevant VaRs and several alternative risk measures for investors; these alternatives use somewhat weaker assumptions about risk-averse behavior by incorporating a mean-preserving-spread. For this latter group of investors, we provide arguments for and against the standard deviation versus VaR and conditional-VaRs as objective and quantifiable measures of risk in the context of portfolio choice. Author Affiliation: (a) School of Management, Fudan University, China (b) Department of Economics and Institute for Computational Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Article History: Received 3 June 2009; Accepted 26 May 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.05.027 Byline: Dengfeng Zhang (a), Renato de Matta (b), Timothy J. Lowe (b) Keywords: Retailing; Production; Pricing; Channel coordination Abstract: With the emergence of virtual market places, consignment selling has been thriving at an unprecedented pace. It has been shown in the literature that inefficiency exists in a decentralized consignment channel with a single revenue share agreement. In our study, we analyze contracts observed in practice that contain bonus or side payment terms, and examine whether they can promote better coordination between the supplier and the retailer. We found that no multi-tier Bonus system can fully coordinate the consignment channel. However, fine adjustments of bonus parameters can bring the channel close to full coordination. Additionally, we found revenue sharing with side payment contracts not only fully coordinate the channel, but they can also be customized to meet the needs of small, medium and large suppliers for extra retailer services such as warehousing and transportation. Managerial insights on how to design the contracts from the supplier, retailer and channel perspectives are discussed in the paper. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Computing and Decision Sciences, Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong (b) Department of Management Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000, United States Article History: Received 18 December 2008; Accepted 19 May 2010 Article Note: (footnote) [star] The authors are grateful to two anonymous referees and the editor for their valuable comments and suggestions that helped improve the paper.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.04.011 Byline: M.N.M. Kahar (a)(b), G. Kendall (a) Keywords: Optimisation; Timetabling; Heuristic; Scheduling Abstract: This paper presents a real-world, capacitated examination timetabling problem from Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Malaysia. The problem has constraints which have not been modelled before, these being the distance between examination rooms and splitting exams across several rooms. These constraints provide additional challenges in defining a suitable model and in developing a constructive heuristic. One of the contributions of this paper is to formally define this real-world problem. A further contribution is the constructive heuristic that is able to produce good quality solutions for the problem, which are superior to the solutions that are produced using the university's current software. Moreover, our method adheres to all hard constraints which the current systems fails to do. Author Affiliation: (a) Automated Scheduling, Optimisation and Planning (ASAP) Group, School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham, NG8 1BB, UK (b) Faculty of Computer Systems & Software Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Locked Bag 12, Kuantan 25000, Pahang, Malaysia Article History: Received 15 July 2009; Accepted 8 April 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.05.049 Byline: Soushi Suzuki (a), Peter Nijkamp (b), Piet Rietveld (b), Eric Pels (b) Keywords: Distance friction minimization (DFM) method; Data envelopment analysis (DEA); Multiple Objective Quadratic Programming (MOQP); Efficiency improving projection; Airport efficiency Abstract: This paper aims to present a newly developed distance friction minimization (DFM) method in the context of data envelopment analysis (DEA) in order to generate an appropriate (non-radial) efficiency-improving projection model, for both input reduction and output increase. In this approach, a generalized distance function, based on a Euclidean distance metric in weighted spaces, is proposed to assist a decision making unit (DMU) to improve its performance by an appropriate movement towards the efficiency frontier surface. A suitable form of multidimensional projection function for efficiency improvement is given by a Multiple Objective Quadratic Programming (MOQP) model. The paper describes the various steps involved in a systematic manner. The above-mentioned DFM model is illustrated empirically by using a data set on 30 European airports, where the aim is to present a comparative analysis of the efficiency of operational management in these airports. In addition, the comparative analysis of these airports is able to assess both input slacks and output slacks (or a combination of input reduction and output rise). Author Affiliation: (a) Hokkai-Gakuen University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1-1, South 26 West11, Chuo-ku, 064-0926 Sapporo, Japan (b) VU University Amsterdam, Department of Spatial Economics, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands Article History: Received 14 November 2007; Accepted 31 May 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2010.08.022 Byline: Begum Azkaynak (a), Beatriz Rodriguez-Labajos (b) Abstract: Despite the recent popularity of multi-scale scenario exercises, a review of the literature reveals missing elements regarding local-scale scenario-building. Scenarios built at the local level are often downscaled from higher-scale scenarios or developed within the boundary conditions of global and national scales without taking local circumstances thoroughly into account. On this background, this paper discusses the issue of scale in local scenario development and develops a formal methodological approach for local-scale scenario-building in general. The paper underlines in particular the role of local agency in coupling the larger scale and the local scale. To better illustrate how the proposed approach helps in designing local scenarios, lessons drawn from two local scenario development practices are also employed. Hence, the paper contributes to the formalisation of local scenario-building, which is believed to enhance the validity and credibility of local scenario outputs in the policy sphere. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Economics, BoAazici University, 34342 Istanbul, Turkey (b) Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2010.08.027 Byline: Mo Yamin, Rudolf R. Sinkovics Keywords: Enterprise resource planning (ERP); Resource dependency; Power; Embeddedness; Legitimacy; Visibility Abstract: Applying a resource-dependency perspective to intra-multinational enterprise (MNE) power , this paper examines the effect of the deployment of advanced ICT and particularly the implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Although subsidiaries in the multinational do not have authority-based or 'structural' power with respect to key strategic decisions , they may have 'resource-based' power in the form of knowledge and capabilities that is of value to the multinational as a whole. Business network analysis highlights the 'invisibility' of the external networks (often in the host country) to the upper echelons in the multinational through which valuable subsidiary knowledge and capabilities develop. It points out that this 'invisibility' undermines the headquarters' ability to control the subsidiary . In this paper we argue that the deployment of ERP undermines the resource base of subsidiary power and thus helps to restore greater central authority in the MNE. The paper reports findings from studies in twelve MNEs which have implemented ERP and points out that from the perspective of subsidiary managers a key effect of ERP deployment is the reduction in their autonomy. This may have significant adverse implications for the futures of the MNE as a federative organizational form and the legitimacy of MNE operations abroad. Author Affiliation: The University of Manchester, Manchester Business School, Booth Street West, Manchester M15 6PB, United Kingdom

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2010.08.018 Byline: Grazia Ietto-Gillies Keywords: Financial crisis; International business; Organizational and technological innovation; Stagnationism and crisis; New technologies and sectoral taxonomy; Economics curricula Abstract: The paper starts with a list of stylized facts on economic trends in the last few decades with particular attention to international elements. A very brief analysis of the current economic crisis is then attempted. The root cause, the causa causans, of the excessive growth of the financial sector and the inevitable current crisis is identified in the lack of profitable investment opportunities in advanced capitalist systems. The short-term remedies include a shift in income distribution to increase the consumption component of effective demand; it also includes serious regulation of the financial sector at both national and international levels. In the medium to longer term governments should consider engaging in large investment projects such as alternative sources of energy, transport as well as in public services. This might help to improve conditions for profitable private sector investment, thus benefiting both the workers and the capitalists operating in the real sector at the expense of the rent-seekers. The paper then draws some inference on key elements likely to impact on futures, particularly with respect to internationalization and the two types of innovation identified in the stylized facts: organizational and technological. Inference is drawn with respect to the economic system as well as to economics as a scientific and academic field. The final discussion draws these various elements together. Author Affiliation: Birkbeck University of London, Professor Emeritus of Applied Economics, London South Bank University, 103, Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UK

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2009.11.004 Byline: Fara Azmat Keywords: Culture; Immigrant entrepreneurs; Level of socio-economic development; Institutional environment; Social responsibility Abstract: Globalisation and technological advancement have blurred geographical boundaries resulting in increased immigrant entrepreneurship. Nevertheless, immigrant entrepreneurs face challenges resulting from different values, policies, institutional environment, culture, and perception of social responsibility (SR) in the new country. This paper focuses on one of these challenges, exploring whether the perceptions of social responsibility of immigrant entrepreneurs coming from less-developed countries are influenced by their home country contextual factors. It presents a contextual framework consisting of a number of propositions specifying the influence of home country contextual factors - culture, institutional environment, and level of socio-economic development - on shaping the perceptions of social responsibility of immigrant entrepreneurs. The paper further proposes that these factors are more likely to influence the social responsibility perceptions of mature-aged first-generation rather than young second-generation immigrant entrepreneurs. Author Affiliation: Deakin University, 70, Elgar Road, School of Management and Marketing, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2010.01.014 Byline: Hsing Kenneth Cheng, Qian Candy Tang Keywords: Software free trial; Network effects; Information goods Abstract: A common business strategy to promote product adoption in software industry is to provide a free trial version with limited functionalities of the commercial product to increase the installed user base. The increase of user base will lead to higher value of the software because of positive network effects. However, offering a free trial version may cannibalize some demand of the commercial software. This paper examines the tradeoff between network effects and the cannibalization effect, and aims to uncover the conditions under which firms should introduce the free trial product. We find that when network intensity is strong, it is more profitable for a software monopoly to offer free trial than to segment the market with two versions of different qualities. In addition, this paper solves the joint decision problem of finding the optimal quality for the firm's free trial software and the optimal price of its commercial product. Author Affiliation: Department of Information Systems and Operations Management, Warrington College of Business Administration, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7169, USA Article History: Received 9 August 2008; Accepted 7 January 2010

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2009.12.008 Byline: John Mingers, Fang Xu Keywords: Citations; Impact factors; Journals; Research quality Abstract: The number of citations is becoming an increasingly popular index for measuring the impact of a scholar's research or the quality of an academic department. One obvious question is: what are the factors that influence the number of citations that a paper receives? This study investigates the number of citations received by papers published in six well-known management science journals. It considers factors that relate to the author(s), the article itself, and the journal. The results show that the strongest factor is the journal itself; but other factors are also significant including the length of the paper, the number of references, the status of the first author's institution, and the type of paper, especially if it is a review. Overall, this study provides some insights into the determinants of a paper's impact that may be helpful for particular stakeholders to make important decisions. Author Affiliation: Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury CT7 2PE, UK Article History: Received 20 February 2009; Accepted 4 December 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2009.12.027 Byline: J.R. Figueira (a)(b), A. Liefooghe (c), E.-G. Talbi (c)(d), A.P. Wierzbicki (e) Keywords: Multiple objective programming; Parallel computing; Multiple reference point approach; Evolutionary computations; Bi-objective flow-shop scheduling Abstract: This paper presents a multiple reference point approach for multi-objective optimization problems of discrete and combinatorial nature. When approximating the Pareto Frontier, multiple reference points can be used instead of traditional techniques. These multiple reference points can easily be implemented in a parallel algorithmic framework. The reference points can be uniformly distributed within a region that covers the Pareto Frontier. An evolutionary algorithm is based on an achievement scalarizing function that does not impose any restrictions with respect to the location of the reference points in the objective space. Computational experiments are performed on a bi-objective flow-shop scheduling problem. Results, quality measures as well as a statistical analysis are reported in the paper. Author Affiliation: (a) CEG-IST, Center for Management Studies, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Tagus Park, Av. Cavaco Silva, 2780-990 Porto Salvo, Portugal (b) LAMSADE, UMR CNRS 7024, Universite Paris-Dauphine, Place du Marechal De Lattre de Tassigny, 75775 Paris Cedex, France (c) Universite Lille 1, LIFL - CNRS, INRIA Lille-Nord Europe, Parc Scientifique de la Haute Borne, 40 av. Halley, 59650 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France (d) King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (e) National Institute of Telecommunications, Szachowa Str. 1, 04-894 Warsaw, Poland Article History: Received 21 May 2009; Accepted 27 December 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2009.09.026 Byline: Jose M. Framinan (a), Ruben Ruiz (b) Keywords: Scheduling systems; Architecture; Functional requirements Abstract: This paper deals with the development of customised and realistic manufacturing scheduling systems. More specifically, we focus onto a key element that may help driving their efficient design and implementation: i.e., the set of building blocks that should include a generic scheduling system and its interconnections, a set collectively known as the architecture of a system. To do so, we first analyse existing contributions on the topic together with papers describing different functional requirements of scheduling systems. These contributions are then discussed and classified, and a modular architecture for manufacturing scheduling systems is proposed. This proposal updates, extends and refines the well-known architecture proposed earlier by Pinedo and Yen's [Pinedo, M.L., Yen, B.P.-C., 1997. On the design and development of object-oriented scheduling systems. Annals of Operations Research 70 (1), 359-378], and serves to integrate the different requirements identified in the literature review. Author Affiliation: (a) Industrial Management, School of Engineering, University of Seville, Ave. Descubrimientos s/n, E41092 Seville, Spain (b) Grupo de Sistemas de Optimizacion Aplicada, Instituto Tecnologico de Informatica, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46021 Valencia, Spain Article History: Received 20 April 2009; Accepted 17 September 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2010.04.028 Byline: Roberto Poli Abstract: The paper introduces the idea of anticipatory systems, i.e. of systems that take their decisions in the present according to forecasts about something that may eventually happen. The best-known definition of anticipation is still Rosen's: 'An anticipatory system is a system containing a predictive model of itself and/or its environment, which allows it to change state at an instant in accord with the model's predictions pertaining to a later instant.' The most obvious mistake committed by almost everyone when first confronted with the idea of anticipation is to think that anticipation is a feature that we possess because we are such highly complex and wonderfully sophisticated cognitive agents. This is not what the theory of anticipation claims. Indeed, the major surprise embedded in the theory of anticipation is that anticipation is a widespread phenomenon present in and characterizing all types of realities. The paper presents some of Rosen's early works on anticipation and spells out in some details a few of its subtleties. Author Affiliation: Department of Sociology and Social Research, University of Trento, 6 Verdi Street, 38100 Trento, Italy

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2010.04.020 Byline: Adele Celino (a), Grazia Concilio (b) Abstract: Participatory planning experiences highlight the crucial role of cognitions produced, shared and used throughout participatory processes. The construction of spatial plans is more and more intended as a socio/political activity producing highly cognitive visions able to guide collective action and make a common good of it. In accordance with the view that a relevant portion of such knowledge is revealed only through action, the paper proposes the idea of structuring-scenarios as open entities able to structure action and, consequently, to bridge participatory knowledge to the impetuous practice of action. The paper first presents and discusses the role of structuring-scenarios in the work carried out while developing an environmental plan for the delta area of the Po River in Italy. Then it reflects on the main features of content and structure of such scenarios. Finally, the paper analyses the 'structuring properties' of these scenarios and their role in structuring action. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Polytechnic of Bari, via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy (b) Department of Architecture and Planning, Polytechnic of Milan, Via Golgi 39, 20133 Milano, Italy

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2010.04.003 Byline: Marion B. Potschin (a), Hermann Klug (b), Roy H. Haines-Young (a) Abstract: Reviewing landscape developments in the last decades evidently shows that in the future most pressing changes can be expected for the land surface. This indispensably calls for strategic approaches based on visions and transdisciplinary creativity. Hence, this paper critically reviews the Leitbild concept, an idea on spatial planning which has been widely discussed in the German-speaking planning literature but which has received scant attention elsewhere. Although the term has been translated as a 'vision', this paper shows that the concept is far richer in its content than these casual translations suggest. The paper shows that it defines a particular paradigm for landscape planning that embodies a transdisciplinary approach in which lay-people and experts develop both goals and strategies for realising their joint visions. A systematic overview of the key characteristics that make up the Leitbild approach is provided and set in relation to already available approaches for decision makers. Although there are similarities between the Leitbild approach and other planning and decision-support tools, such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Strategic Impact Assessment (SEA) and Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA-sust), the paper shows that the particular combination of issues considered when developing a Leitbild makes it distinctive. Through an iterative process, the development of a Leitbild allows new approaches to spatial planning in which space and place can be considered as a social construct, and in which the values and understandings of local actors can be better represented. Author Affiliation: (a) Centre for Environmental Management, School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, England, United Kingdom (b) Centre for Geoinformatics (Z_GIS), Salzburg University, Schillerstr. 30, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2010.04.004 Byline: Hermann Klug Abstract: Understanding the complexity of landscapes is an essential prerequisite to propose strategies for landscape development in the mid future, to predict long-term effects of landscape change, and assess future demands on landscape resources. In order to be able to direct today's landscapes to a possible future state (German: Leitbild), landscape planning must include socio-cultural, economic and political considerations in addition to ecological aspects of the landscape. In response to this challenge, this paper unifies the Leitbild concept with a spatial explicit planning procedure and introduces a case study application for describing and classifying landscape visions based on a transdisciplinary, holistic concept. The general assessment system of planning a vision is adapted to the natural, cultural, political and economic conditions of the given case study area in the Federal States Upper Austria and Salzburg (Austria). The assessment system includes exercises that identify the assets of the planning procedure and encourage stakeholders, scientist and local people to collaborate in planning and implementation processes. This paper provides an overview of planning procedures from the Leitbild perspective, outlines problems encountered in the case study, and compares them to the findings of other scholars. Author Affiliation: Centre for Geoinformatics, Salzburg University, Schillerstr. 30, Building 15, 3rd Floor, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2009.11.034 Byline: Hamed Samarghandi, Kourosh Eshghi Keywords: Facilities planning and design; Linear ordering problem; Tabu search; Integer programming Abstract: The general goal of the facility layout problem is to arrange a given number of facilities to minimize the total cost associated with the known or projected interactions between them. One of the special classes of the facility layout problem is the Single Row Facility Layout Problem (SRFLP), which consists of finding an optimal linear placement of rectangular facilities with varying dimensions on a straight line. This paper first presents and proves a theorem to find the optimal solution of a special case of SRFLP. The results obtained by this theorem prove to be very useful in reducing the computational efforts when a new algorithm based on tabu search for the SRFLP is proposed in this paper. Computational results of the proposed algorithm on benchmark problems show the greater efficiency of the algorithm compared to the other heuristics for solving the SRFLP. Author Affiliation: Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran Article History: Received 25 September 2008; Accepted 29 November 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2009.11.029 Byline: Jens Lysgaard Keywords: Routing; Pyramidal traveling salesman; Branch-and-cut-and-price Abstract: This paper introduces the pyramidal capacitated vehicle routing problem (PCVRP) as a restricted version of the capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP). In the PCVRP each route is required to be pyramidal in a sense generalized from the pyramidal traveling salesman problem (PTSP). A pyramidal route is defined as a route on which the vehicle first visits customers in increasing order of customer index, and on the remaining part of the route visits customers in decreasing order of customer index. Moreover, this paper develops an exact branch-and-cut-and-price (BCP) algorithm for the PCVRP. A main feature of the algorithm is that exact pricing over elementary routes are done in pseudo-polynomial time. Computational results suggest that PCVRP solutions are highly useful for obtaining near-optimal solutions to the CVRP. Furthermore, pricing of pyramidal routes may prove to be very useful in column generation for the CVRP. Author Affiliation: CORAL, Department of Business Studies, Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus, Fuglesangs Alle 4, DK-8210 Aarhus V, Denmark Article History: Received 29 April 2008; Accepted 21 November 2009