Operations research uses quantitative models to analyze and predict the behavior of systems and to provide information for decision makers. Two key concepts in such research are optimization and uncertainty. Typical models in stochastic operations research include queueing models, inventory models, financial engineering models, reliability models, and simulation models. This book contains a collection of peer-reviewed papers from the International Workshop on Recent Advances in Stochastic Operations Research (2007 RASOR Nanzan) held on March 5ndash;6, 2007, at Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan. It enables advanced readers to understand the recent topics and results in stochastic operations research.

Operations Research: A Practical Introduction is just that: a hands-on approach to the field of operations research (OR) and a useful guide for using OR techniques in scientific decision making, design, analysis and management. The text accomplishes two goals. First, it provides readers with an introduction to standard mathematical models and algorithms. Second, it is a thorough examination of practical issues relevant to the development and use of computational methods for problem solving. Highlights: All chapters contain up-to-date topics and summaries A succinct presentation to fit a one-term course Each chapter has references, readings, and list of key terms Includes illustrative and current applications New exercises are added throughout the text Software tools have been updated with the newest and most popular software Many students of various disciplines such as mathematics, economics, industrial engineering and computer science often take one course in operations research. This book is written to provide a succinct and efficient introduction to the subject for these students, while offering a sound and fundamental preparation for more advanced courses in linear and nonlinear optimization, and many stochastic models and analyses. It provides relevant analytical tools for this varied audience and will also serve professionals, corporate managers, and technical consultants.

This volume brings out recent developments and current activity in different areas of operational research. The topics covered include the following major areas: mathematical programming, queuing theory, reliability and maintenance, inventory and production control, statistical methods, networks and sequencing, and information technology. Recent Developments in Operational Research will be of considerable value and interest to operational researchers, both theoreticians and practitioners, as well as a reference source for research workers.

The interface of Operation Research and Computer Science - although elusive to a precise definition - has been a fertile area of both methodological and applied research. The papers in this book, written by experts in their respective fields, convey the current state-of-the-art in this interface across a broad spectrum of research domains which include optimization techniques, linear programming, interior point algorithms, networks, computer graphics in operations research, parallel algorithms and implementations, planning and scheduling, genetic algorithms, heuristic search techniques and data retrieval.