Challenges of Programming - Essay Example

Specifically, the subsection on Nonlinear Programming included a discussion of profit graphs with nonproportional relationships. For the subsection on Decision Analysis, different decision criteria were explained. The subsection on Forecasting has a detailed discussion on forecasting techniques. The subsection on Queuing tackled different queuing systems. At the end of every subsection, the author reacts to the issues at hand. Managers can count on a number of quantitative decision making methods that can aid them in coming up with a set of sound judgments as the need arises.

These methods include Nonlinear Programming, Decision Analysis, Forecasting, and Queuing. The following subsections will provide a discussion of these methods and the text of Hillier and Hillier (2010) was used extensively. Linear Programming is a subclass of mathematical programming that uses “straight-line” or linear relationships among the constraints and objective functions (Gass, 2003). The problem falls under Nonlinear programming when at least one of these relationships is nonlinear in nature.

Thus, Linear Programming assumes a proportional relationship between activity levels and overall measure of performance while Nonlinear Programming is used to model nonproportional relationships. There are four (4) types of profit graphs associated with nonproportional relationships. First, the Decreasing Marginal Returns wherein the dependent variable increases at a decreasing rate as the dependent variable increases. Second, the Piecewise Linear which consists of a sequence of connected line segments.

Third, the graph of Discontinuities which suddenly jumps up or down. Fourth, the Increasing Marginal Returns wherein the dependent variable increases at an increasing rate. Decision Analysis uses a methodological approach to rationally addressing management problems that are much more complicated and display higher levels of uncertainty