Title: Two modelling approaches using spreadsheets for the transportation assignment problem

Authors: Xiang Ye, Xiao Zong

Addresses: Information School, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China. ' Information School, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China

Abstract: This paper presents two modelling approaches for teaching the transportation assignment problem that have been very successful in teaching and learning. We have illustrated it using a numerical example and formulated two spreadsheets models using the popular spreadsheet package Microsoft Excel. In the first approach, we formulated an algebraic model, then transfered it to a spreadsheet. In the second approach, we formulated a spreadsheet model directly by using spreadsheet modelling techniques. We have demonstrated that students can understand and solve the transportation assignment problem more easily using these two approaches.

Keywords: case studies; Excel Solver; minimum cost flow problem; operations research education; management science education; spreadsheet modelling; transportation assignment; transportation problem; teaching; learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIOME.2006.009721

International Journal of Information and Operations Management Education, 2006 Vol.1 No.3, pp.316 - 325

Published online: 07 May 2006 *

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