Genetic Algorithm and Other Meta-Heuristics: Essential Tools for Solving Modern Supply Chain Management

Abstract

Genetic algorithms have been applied in solving various types of large-scale, NP-hard optimization problems. Many researchers have been investigating its global convergence properties using Schema Theory, Markov Chain, etc. A more realistic approach, however, is to estimate the probability of success in finding the global optimal solution within a prescribed number of generations under some function landscapes. Further investigation reveals that its inherent weaknesses that affect its performance can be remedied, while its efficiency can be significantly enhanced through the design of an adaptive scheme that integrates the crossover, mutation and selection operations. The advance of Information Technology and the extensive corporate globalization create great challenges for the solution of modern supply chain models that become more and more complex and size formidable. Meta-heuristic methods have to be employed to obtain near optimal solutions. Recently, a genetic algorithm has been reported to solve these problems satisfactorily and there are reasons for this.