Lecture 9

NETWORK PROBLEM:
1.

Assignment

Chapter 19 in the CD: INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

Assignment Problem

Introduction

Special case of Linear Programming

problems are called network flow problem
which consists of:
1 Assignment problem

Transportation
2
problem
3 Transshipment problem
4 Shortest route problem
5 Maximal flow problem

Assignment Problem

Typical assignment problems involve assigning:

Agents

Tasks

Jobs

Machines

Contract
s

Bidders

Sales
person

Sales territories
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 Specically,

we look for the set

of assignments that will
optimize a stated objective,
such as minimize cost, minimize
time, or maximize prots

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By default
the objective of
assignment network
problem is to
MINIMISE cost
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 Characteristic:

One
Agent

One
Task
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Case Study:
Assignment Problem

The Fix-it Shop has just received three

new repair projects that must be
repaired quickly: a radio, a toaster oven,
and a coffee table.
Three workers with different talents are
able to do the jobs.
The owner estimates the cost in wages
if the workers are assigned to each of
the three jobs.
Objective: minimize total cost.

Estimated Project Repair Costs

for the Fix-It Shop Assignment
Problem
Worker

Project
Radio

Toaster
Oven

Coffee Table
3

Azhar

11

14

Syahid

10

11

Majid

12

We want to
assign workers to
projects so the
total labor costs
are at a
minimum.

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What do
we want

Comparison of Assignment
Alternatives and Costs
PRODUCT ASSIGNMENT
LABOR
LABOR
COSTS
COSTS ($)
($)

1
1
Azhar
Azhar
Syahid
Syahid
Majid
Majid

What
are
the
2
3
2
3
combination of
Syahid
Majid
11 + 10 + 7
worker
to
Majid
Syahid
11 + 12 + 11
project
possible
Azhar
Majid
8 + 14 + 7
Majid for Azhar
this 8 + 12 + 6
Azhar
Syahid
9 + 14 + 11
problem?
Syahid
Azhar
9 + 10 + 6

TOTAL
TOTAL
COSTS
COSTS ($)
($)

28
34
29
26
34
25

The Hungarian method

is an efficient method of nding the optimal
solution to an assignment problem without
having to make direct comparisons of every
option

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Hungarian Method
Minimisation
Step
1

Deduct ROW- Deduct COLUMN

Step
2

Draw minimum lines.

Number lines=number matrix=OPTIMAL

Step
3
Step
4

STOP If notgo to step 3

Revise
Repeat step 2

Estimated Project Repair Costs

for the Fix-It Shop Assignment
Problem
Worker

Project
Radio
1

Azhar
Syahid
Majid

11
8
9

Toaster
Oven
2

Coffee Table
3

14
10
12

6
11
7

CHECK
#worker = #project ?
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Start Hungarian method

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Case Study:
Hungarian Method
Step 1-a: Row deduction
Worker

Azhar
Syahid
Majid

Project
Radio
1

Toaster
Oven
2

Coffee Table
3

11
5
8
0
9
2

14
8
10
2
12
5

6
0
11
3
7
0

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Case Study:
Hungarian Method
Step 1-b: Column deduction
Worker
Worker

Azhar
Azhar
Syahid
Syahid
Majid
Majid

Project
Project
Radio
Radio
1
1

Toaster
Toaster
Oven
Oven
2
2

Coffee
Coffee Table
Table
3
3

5
5
0
0
2
2

6
8
0
2
3
5

0
0
3
3
0
0

Case Study:
Hungarian Method
Is no of lines = no. row/column
Step 2: Find minimum lines
Worker

Azhar
Syahid
Majid

Project
Radio
1

Toaster
Oven
2

Coffee Table
3

5
0
2

6
0
3

0
3
0

Finding the
Minimum Number of Lines
Remember the objective
here is to cover all the
zeros with the minimum
number of lines.
Lines must be horizontal or
vertical only.

Case Study:
Hungarian Method
Step 3: Revise
Worker
Worker

Azhar
Azhar
Syahid
Syahid
Majid
Majid

Project
Project
Radio
Radio
1
1

Toaster
Toaster
Oven
Oven
2
2

Coffee
Coffee Table
Table
3
3

5
3
0
0
2
2
0

6
4
0
0
3
1

0
0
3
3
5
0
0

Case Study:
Hungarian Method
CHECK
YES 3 lines
= 3row/column

OPTIMAL
SOLUTION
Is
no
of
lines
=
no.
row/column?
Repeat Step 2:
Worker

Project
Radio
1

Toaster
Oven
2

Coffee Table
3

Azhar

Syahid

Majid

Case Study:
Hungarian Method
Worker

Project
Radio
1

Toaster
Oven
2

Coffee Table
3

Azhar

Syahid

Majid

Azhars is assigned to project 3.

Syahid is assigned to project 2.
Majid is assigned to project 1.

Case Study:
Optimal Solution
Worker
Azhar
Syahid
Majid

Project
3
2
1
Total
cost

Wages
$6
$9
$10
$25

Special Case of Assignment

Problem

1
2
3

Number of agents not equal to

the number of tasks
Maximization objective function
Unacceptable assignments

Special case 1
Number of agents

number of tasks

Imbalanced
problem

Number of
worker
exceed
number of
tasks
Number of
tasks
exceeds the
number of
worker

Add dummy
column or
task
Add dummy
row or
worker

Since the dummy task or person is

nonexistent, we enter ZEROS in its row or
column as the cost or time estimate.
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Case Study:
Unbalanced Assignments

Suppose the Fix-It Shop has employed

another worker Din.

3
WORKER
Azhar
4
Syahid
Majid
New
worker
Din

1
11
8
9
10

PROJECT
2
3
14
6
10
11
12
7
13
8

Solve
as before
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DUMMY
0
0
0
0

Special case 2
Maximization objective function

Convert table into

regret
/opportunity loss
table

Subtracting every
element in each
column
from
the
Solve as
before
largest element in
the column.

Case Study:
Maximisation Problem

The Malaysian navy wishes to assign

four ships to patrol four sectors of the
Sabah Sea.

Ships are rated for their probable

efficiency in each sector.

The commander wants to determine

patrol assignments producing the
greatest overall efficiencies.

 Efficiencies

of Malaysian Ships in
Patrol Sectors
SECTOR

SHIP
1
2
3
4

A
20
60
80
65

B
60
30
100
80

C
50
80
90
75

D
55
75
80
70

Convert the maximization efficiency table into a

minimizing opportunity losses table by subtracting
each ratings in the column from the largest rating in

 Opportunity

Loss of British Ships

SECTOR

SHIP
1
2
3
4

A
60
20
0
15

B
40
70
0
20

C
40
10
0
15

D
25
5
0
10

Do the Hungarian method as previous

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Row deduction
SECTOR

SECTOR

SHIP

SHIP

35

15

15

35

15

15

15

65

15

65

10

10

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Column deduction

SHIP
1
2
3
4

A
35
15
0
5

SECTOR
B
C
15
15
65
5
0
0
10
5

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D
0
0
0
0

SHIP
1
2
3
4

A
30
10
0
0

SECTOR
B
C
10
10
60
0
0
0
5
0

D
0
0
5
0

Number of lines = Number of row/column

OPTIMAL SOLUTION
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SECTOR
SHIP
1
2
3
4

30
10
0
0

10
60
0
5

10
0
0
0

0
0
5
0

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The overall efficiency of

Malaysian Ships in Patrol
Sectors
ASSIGNMENT

EFFICIENCY

Ship 1 to sector D

55

Ship 2 to sector C

80

Ship 3 to sector B

100

Ship 4 to sector A

65

Total efficiency
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300

Special case 3
Unacceptable Assignments
Unacceptable
minimization
assignment

Add

M as value

Unacceptable
maximization
assignment

Add

as value

where M is an arbitrarily large value.

Estimated Project Repair Costs

for the Fix-It Shop Assignment
Problem
Worker
Worker

Project
Project
Radio
Radio
1
1

Azhar
Azhar
Syahid
Syahid
Majid
Majid

11
11
8
M
9
9

Toaster
Toaster
Oven
Oven
2
2

14
14
10
10
12
12

Coffee
Coffee Table
Table
3
3

6
6
11
11
7

Solve as before

Assignment
Due date:

Professor Abdul Malek, chairman of the universitys

engineering department has decided to apply a
new method in assigning professors to courses next
semester. As a criterion for judging who should
teach each course, Prof. Malek reviews the past two
years teaching evaluations (which were lled out
by students). Since each of the four professors
taught each of the four courses at one time or
another during the two year period, Prof. Malek is
able to record a course rating for each instructor.
These ratings are shown in the table. Find the best
assignment of professors to courses to maximize
the overall teaching rating.
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PROFESSO
R

Ergonomics

Engineering
Managemen
t

Workshop
Technology

Engineering
Drawing

Fatini

90

65

95

40

Raihana

70

60

80

75

Arif

85

40

80

60

Luqman

55

80

65

55

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To be continued

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Announcement

URGENT
Replacement midterm
Day/Date: Monday 9/11/2015
Time:8:00pm-10:30pm
Venue: tbd
Please contact me immediately (last day will be
Thursday) and provide me with letter of
excuse/evidence.
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