Title: Optimal mix of playground equipment

Authors: Shaul P. Ladany, Michael G. Sklar

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, Ben-Gurion University, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. ' Management Science and Information Systems, Rutgers University, 94 Rockfeller Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA

Abstract: A two-stage procedure was developed to determine the optimal mix of equipment (different types and numbers of each type) to be erected at playgrounds, with the objective to maximise the total enjoyment that children playing at the playground would derive from their use. At the first stage, the contribution of each unit of equipment from each type to the total enjoyment of the children was determined using non-linear regression. The result of the first-stage was used as the input into a deterministic dynamic programming model. The solution procedure is demonstrated with an actual case example.

Keywords: dynamic programming; non-linear regression; optimal mix; playground equipment; enjoyment; children playgrounds.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMDM.2005.006028

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2005 Vol.6 No.2, pp.148 - 157

Published online: 23 Jan 2005 *

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