Abstract: Overcrowding of emergency departments (EDs) is a problem that affected many hospitals especially during the response to emergency situations such as pandemics or disasters. Transferring nonemergency patients is one approach that can be utilized to address ED overcrowding. We propose a novel mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model that explicitly considers queueing effects to address overcrowding in a network of EDs, via a combination of two decisions: modifying service capacity to EDs and transferring patients between EDs. Computational testing is performed using a Design of Experiments to determine the sensitivity of the MINLP solutions to changes in the various input parameters. Additional computational testing examines the effect of ED size on the number of transfers occurring in the system, identifying an efficient frontier for the tradeoff between system cost (measured as a function of the service capacity and the number of patient transfers) and the systemwide average expected waiting time. Taken together, these results suggest that our optimization model can identify a range of efficient alternatives for healthcare systems designing a network of EDs across multiple hospitals. PubDate: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 09:50:00 +000
Abstract: The multiple objective simplex algorithm and its variants work in the decision variable space to find the set of all efficient extreme points of multiple objective linear programming (MOLP). Other approaches to the problem find either the entire set of all efficient solutions or a subset of them and also return the corresponding objective values (nondominated points). This paper presents an extension of the multiobjective simplex algorithm (MSA) to generate the set of all nondominated points and no redundant ones. This extended version is compared to Benson’s outer approximation (BOA) algorithm that also computes the set of all nondominated points of the problem. Numerical results on nontrivial MOLP problems show that the total number of nondominated points returned by the extended MSA is the same as that returned by BOA for most of the problems considered. PubDate: Mon, 05 Jul 2021 08:20:00 +000
Abstract: The main objective of this study was to assess customers’ relationship management practices of Oromia Credit and Saving Share Company, Bule Hora city branch in Bule Hora, Ethiopia. Customer relationship management (CRM) as a strategy has gained tremendous interest among researchers and practitioners in recent times. Thus, this study tried to assess the status and ways CRM has been put in for practice by Oromia Credit and Saving Share Company (OCSSCO). In addition, this study considers different CRM dimensions such as empathy, bonding and satisfaction, and responsiveness. To achieve the objective of the study, primary data were collected through a questionnaire from a sample of 246 Oromia Credit and Saving Share Company customers of Bule Hora city branch, Bule Hora, Ethiopia, by using simple random sampling technique. The data collected through the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis method and inferential statistics by using SPSS version 20 as a tool of data analysis. The study clearly revealed that the four CRM dimensions are strongly related. Thus, from the perspective of customers as well as management bodies of the Oromia Credit and Saving Share Company, CRM has a significant influence on customer retention and loyalty of the organization. Generally speaking, microfinance institutions are in need of doing a lot of CRM-based customer-focused practices. PubDate: Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:05:01 +000
Abstract: In the classical inventory systems, the retailer had to settle the accounts of the purchased items at the time they were received. But in practice, the supplier applies some strategic tools, such as trade credit contract, to enhance his sales channel and offers delay period to his customers to settle the account. Any member of the supply chain may offer full or partial trade credit contract to his downstream level. Full trade credit is the case that the latter is allowed to defer the whole payment to the end of the credit period. In partial trade credit, however, the downstream supply chain member must pay for a proportion of the purchased goods at first and can delay paying for the rest until the end of the credit period. This paper considers a two-level trade credit, where the supplier offers order-quantity-dependent partial trade credit to a retailer, who suggests full trade credit to his customers. An economic order quantity (EOQ) inventory model of a deteriorating item is formulated here, and the Branch and Reduce Optimization Navigator is applied to find the optimal replenishment policy. The sensitivity of the variables on different parameters has been analyzed by applying some numerical examples. The data reveal that increasing the credit periods of the retailer and the customers can decrease and increase the retailer’s total cost, respectively. PubDate: Tue, 13 Apr 2021 08:05:00 +000
Abstract: Workforce scheduling process consists of three major phases: workload prediction, shift generation, and staff rostering. Shift generation is the process of transforming the determined workload into shifts as accurately as possible. The Shift Minimization Personnel Task Scheduling Problem (SMPTSP) is a problem in which a set of tasks with fixed start and finish times must be allocated to a heterogeneous workforce. We show that the presented three-phase metaheuristic can successfully solve the most challenging SMPTSP benchmark instances. The metaheuristic was able to solve 44 of the 47 instances to optimality. The metaheuristic produced the best overall results compared to the previously published methods. The results were generated as a by-product when solving a more complicated General Task-based Shift Generation Problem. The metaheuristic generated comparable results to the methods using commercial MILP solvers as part of the solution process. The presented method is suitable for application in large real-world scenarios. Application areas include cleaning, home care, guarding, manufacturing, and delivery of goods. PubDate: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 06:50:00 +000
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