Method for controlled optimization of enterprise planning models

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system for controlled optimization of enterprise planning models is provided. This is accomplished by first defining an auxiliary objective function, which depends on the same variables as the model, or a subset thereof. An effective objective function is then constructed from the primary objective function by subtracting the auxiliary objective function multiplied by a weighting factor. The effective objective function is then optimized for a whole range of weighting values, yielding a table that describes how the primary objective function varies according to different values of the weighting factor. Optimization of the effective objective function with a given value of the weighting factor results in a particular value for the auxiliary objective. Thus, this computed table essentially provides a relationship between different realized values of the primary objective, the auxiliary objective, and all the variables of the enterprise planning model. The user is further provided with a way to specify a target value for the auxiliary objective to attain, and then use the table obtained previously to interpolate the value for the weighting factor that corresponds to the target value. This interpolated value for the weighting factor is then inserted into the effective objective function. This effective objective function is optimized, yielding the set of decisions which optimize the primary objective function while at the same time satisfying the constraint that auxiliary objective achieve a target value.