Optimization is an essential tool in every project in every large-scale organization, whether in business, industry, engineering, or science. In recent years, algorithmic advances and software and hardware improvements have given managers a powerful framework for making key decisions about everything from production planning to scheduling distribution.

This comprehensive resource brings together in one volume the major advances in the field. Distinguished contributors focus on the algorithmic and computational aspects of optimization, particularly the most recent methods for solving a wide range of decision-making problems. The book is divided into three main sections: algorithms, covering every type of programming; applications, where computational tools are put to work solving tasks in planning, production, distribution, scheduling and other decisions in project management; and software, a comprehensive introduction to languages and systems. Designed as a practical resource for programmers, project planners, and managers, it covers optimization problems in a wide range of settings, from the airline and aerospace industries to telecommunications, finance, health systems, biomedicine, and engineering.