PARALLel MULTI-ISSUE NEGOTIATION ALGORITHM for project scheduling considering time and cost issues in VIRTUAL ENTERPRISE

Li Yingjie  Chen Qingxin  Chen Xindu  Chen Xin

(School of Mechnical and Electronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology Guangzhou 510090)

Abstract: When the virtual enterprise makes the schedule of the project in a negotiation way, it should not only consider the feasibility broken by the time conflict among the activity implementations, but also pay attention to the optimization of the resources. A multi-issue stochastic model, which can describe the uncertainties of the durations and the costs of the activities in the project, is first put forward. Based upon this model, an algorithm, which can make a schedule and allocate the resources simultaneously in a negotiation way, is then presented at the goal involved with the expectations of the activity durations and costs. The implementation of such an algorithm is explained with a simple example. As for the characteristics of the mould and die manufacturing, the algorithm is carried out on a manufacturing project of the industry. The simulation result shows that the model is applicable, and the algorithm is reliable and effective as well.

Key words: Virtual enterprise  Project scheduling  Time-cost  Negotiation  Utility function

CLC No: TH166

国家863/CIMS计划项目基金(2003AA414023)、国家自然科学基金(50085001)和广东省自然科学基金团队项目基金(20003051)资助项目. Received 20040509, received in revised form 20020040705