LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is to give students the basics of operations research, which are most relevant to the strategic and operational planning of enterprises. Particular emphasis will be given to the field of logistics and transport. The course is aimed at developing optimization models for decision making problems. 
Main topics: 
• Overview of the operation research modeling approach 
• Linear programming and the Simplex method 
• Duality theory and sensitivity analysis 
• Network optimization models .
Main topics: 
• Overview of the operation research modeling approach 
• Linear programming and the Simplex method 
• Duality theory and sensitivity analysis 
• Network optimization models 
• Inventory management and supply chain

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The main objective of the teaching is to provide students with the basics of Operations Research that are most relevant to the strategic and operational planning of companies, with particular reference to the logistics and transport sector. The lessons are aimed at providing the skills to develop, solve and analyse optimisation models for solving relevant decision-making problems in the freight and passenger transport sector.

The expected learning outcomes at the end  are teh following:

•  ability to analyse a problem, identify the decision variables, the objective and the constraints, typically operational, for achieving it;
•  ability to formulate, by means of a mathematical model, the optimisation problem associated with the previously analysed problem;
•  ability to identify the most appropriate solution method and sw environment to determine the solution of the optimisation problem formulated;
•  be able to tackle the main problems of production planning, service activities, transport planning and network optimisation.

PREREQUISITES

The basics of mathematics and economics are taken for granted.

TEACHING METHODS

 Traditional lectures with the possibility of using the PC in the classroom.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The aim of the teaching is to give students the basics of operations research, which are most relevant to the strategic and operational planning of enterprises. Particular emphasis will be given to the field of logistics and transport. The lessons are aimed at developing optimization models for decision making problems.
Main topics:

• Overview of the operation research modeling approach
• Linear programming problems: production and transportation planning.
• The Simplex method and its economic interpretation. Duality theory and sensitivity analysis
• Network optimization problems. Definition of graphs. Shortest Path Problems. Connectivity problems.
• Discrete and Boolean optimization problems. Knapsack and  Assignment problems.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Hillier & Lieberman “Introduction to Operations Research”, McGRAW-Hill. Suggested edition: 2016 (available on-line).
• Handouts and notes provided by the teacher