OPTIMIZATION THEORY
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2368 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
- “A mathematical technique for determining the most profitable or least disadvantageous choice out of a set of alternatives” (K. KRIPPENDORFF, 1986, p.55)
This author states: “Typically the set of alternatives is restricted by several constraints on the values of a number of variables and an objective function locates the optimum in the remaining set” (Ibid).
This is a technique used in Operations research and Systems Analysis. It should be observed:
1) That the definition of the constraints is outside the scope of the technique, as they are either discovered or prescribed by the decision maker (soundly or not). Constraints discovery is a typical systemic topic.
2) That optimization of a process or a function is different from the global optimization of a system, as for example an enterprise, and that trade offs are inevitable between optima defined for various functions or processes. Maximization of one of these frequently means sub-optimization of another or various other ones.
3) The technique in itself is “blind” to these global aspects of optimization. It is a good servant, but a suspicious master.