Goal Programming (GP) is perhaps the oldest and most widely used approach within the Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) paradigm. GP combines the logic of optimisation in mathematical programming with the decision maker's desire to satisfy several goals. The primary purpose of this book is to identify the critical issues in GP and to demonstrate different procedures capable of avoiding or mitigating the inherent pitfalls associated with these issues. The outcome of a search of the literature shows many instances where GP models produced misleading or even erroneous results simply because of a careless formulation of the problem. Rather than being in itself a textbook, Critical Issues in Goal Programming is designed to complement existing textbooks. It will be useful to students and researchers with a basic knowledge of GP as well as to those interested in building GP models which analyse real decision problems.

This paper deals with single-objective linear goal programming problem with neutrosophic numbers. The coefficients of objective function and the constraints are considered as neutrosophic numbers of the form (p + qI), where p, q are real numbers and I denotes indeterminacy. In the solution process, the neutrosophic numbers are transformed into interval numbers.

Nature-inspired computation is an interdisciplinary topic area that connects the natural sciences to computer science. Since natural computing is utilized in a variety of disciplines, it is imperative to research its capabilities in solving optimization issues. The Handbook of Research on Natural Computing for Optimization Problems discusses nascent optimization procedures in nature-inspired computation and the innovative tools and techniques being utilized in the field. Highlighting empirical research and best practices concerning various optimization issues, this publication is a comprehensive reference for researchers, academicians, students, scientists, and technology developers interested in a multidisciplinary perspective on natural computational systems.

In the paper, we propose an alternative strategy for multi-level linear programming (MLP) problem with neutrosophic numbers through goal programming strategy. Multi-level linear programming problem consists of k levels where there is an upper level at the first level and multiple lower levels at the second level with one objective function at every level.

Multicriteria analysis is a rapidly growing aspect of operations research and management science, with numerous practical applications in a wide range of fields. This book presents all the recent advances in multicriteria analysis, including multicriteria optimization, goal programming, outranking methods, and disaggregation techniques. The latest developments on robustness analysis, preference elicitation, and decision making when faced with incomplete information, are also discussed, together with applications in business performance evaluation, finance, and marketing. Finally, the interactions of multicriteria analysis with other disciplines are also explored, including among others data mining, artificial intelligence, and evolutionary methods.

The paper presents a novel strategy for solving bi-level linear programming problem based on goal programming in neutrosophic numbers environment. Bi-level linear programming problem comprises of two levels namely upper or first level and lower or second level with one objective at each level. The objective function of each level decision maker and the system constraints are considered as linear functions with neutrosophic numbers of the form [p + q I], where p, q are real numbers and I represents indeterminacy.

“Neutrosophic Sets and Systems” has been created for publications on advanced studies in neutrosophy, neutrosophic set, neutrosophic logic, neutrosophic probability, neutrosophic statistics that started in 1995 and their applications in any field, such as the neutrosophic structures developed in algebra, geometry, topology, etc.

Practical Goal Programming is intended to allow academics and practitioners to be able to build effective goal programming models, to detail the current state of the art, and to lay the foundation for its future development and continued application to new and varied fields. Suitable as both a text and reference, its nine chapters first provide a brief history, fundamental definitions, and underlying philosophies, and then detail the goal programming variants and define them algebraically. Chapter 3 details the step-by-step formulation of the basic goal programming model, and Chapter 4 explores more advanced modeling issues and highlights some recently proposed extensions. Chapter 5 then details the solution methodologies of goal programming, concentrating on computerized solution by the Excel Solver and LINGO packages for each of the three main variants, and includes a discussion of the viability of the use of specialized goal programming packages. Chapter 6 discusses the linkages between Pareto Efficiency and goal programming. Chapters 3 to 6 are supported by a set of ten exercises, and an Excel spreadsheet giving the basic solution of each example is available at an accompanying website. Chapter 7 details the current state of the art in terms of the integration of goal programming with other techniques, and the text concludes with two case studies which were chosen to demonstrate the application of goal programming in practice and to illustrate the principles developed in Chapters 1 to 7. Chapter 8 details an application in healthcare, and Chapter 9 describes applications in portfolio selection.

Most real-life problems involve making decisions to optimally achieve a number of criteria while satisfying some hard or soft constraints. In this book several methods for solving such problems are presented by the leading experts in the area. The book also contains a number of very interesting application papers which demonstrate theoretical modelling, analysing and solution of real-life problems.

Within the field of multiple criteria decision making, this volume covers the latest advances in multiple objective and goal programming as presented at the 2nd International Conference on Multi-Objective Programming and Goal Programming, Torremolinos, Spain, May 16 - 18, 1996. The book is an undispensable source of the latest research results, presented by the leading experts of the field.