Operations Reserch (OR)

MGMT4102
PowerPoint Presentation

Department of Business Administration and IS

(BAIS)
Addis Ababa University – School of
Commerce
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

November, 2022
 CHAPTER IV
Assignment Problems
(MODELS)

2
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 Describing the nature and use of assignment

problems;
 Using the assignment models solve problems;
 Dealing with special cases of assignment
problems.
4.1. ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS

ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS (AP): MEANING

 refers to the class of LPPs that involves determining the most

efficient assignment of people to projects, salespeople to
territories, contracts to bidders ,jobs to machines, and so
on

 The problem of assignment arises because available resources

such as personnel, machines, etc have varying degrees of
efficiency for performing different activities/jobs.

OBJECTIVE
 To assign a number of resources to an equal number of activities
so as to minimize total costs or total time or maximize total
profit of allocation.
4.1. ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
ASSUMPTIONS

 Number of jobs is equal to the number

of machines or persons or m=n
 Each man or machine is loaded with
one and only one job.
 Each man or machine is independently
capable of handling any of the jobs
being presented.
 Loading criteria must be clearly
specified such as “minimizing
4.1 ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…

The Assignment Table

Example 1: Service costs of different team assignment ($ in

thousands)

Z
Z3
SC Z1 Z2

S1 20 15 31

S2 17 16 33

S3 18 19 27
4.2. SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS

1. Hungarian Method/Flood’s Technique/

works on the principle of reducing the given cost
matrix (the principle of matrix reduction) to a
matrix of opportunity costs, which means that by
subtracting and adding appropriate numbers in the cost
table or matrix, we can reduce the problem to a matrix
of opportunity costs (OC).
If we can reduce the cost matrix to the extent of having
at least one zero (OC) in each row and column, then it
will be possible to make optimal assignments.
4.2. SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS

STEPS IN SOLVING ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS

Step 1: Develop the cost table from the

given problem
Step 2: Find the opportunity cost table
a. Perform row operation
 Locate the smallest element in each row of the given cost
table and then subtract that from each element of that
row.

b. Perform column operation

 In the reduced matrix obtained from 2(a), locate the
smallest element in each column and then subtract that
from each element of that column. Notice that each row
and each column now have at least one zero value.
4.2. SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
STEPS IN SOLVING ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS

Step 3.Test for an optimal assignment

a. Draw the minimum number of Horizontal
and/or Vertical lines necessary to cover
all zeros costs. Draw the lines by trial and
error but always try to cover two or more
zeros with one line.

b. Count the number of lines

 If the number of lines equals either the
number of rows or columns in the table, an
optimal assignment can be made. If the
number of lines is less than the number of
rows or columns, an improvement is possible
(we proceed to step 4).
4.2 SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…

STEPS IN SOLVING ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS

Step 4.Improve the present opportunity cost

table (matrix)
a. Find the smallest entry in the uncovered cells
(cells with no lines through them) and subtract it
from all entries in the uncovered cells.
b. Add the same smallest entry to those cells in which
the lines intersect (cells with two lines them)
c. Cells with one line through them are transferred
(i.e. unchanged to the improved table).
 In those problems where the first improvement
does not yield an optimal solution, we keep on
improving the solution by repeating step 4 until an
optimal solution is achieved.
4.2 SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…

STEPS IN SOLVING ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS

Step 5: Make an optimal assignment

 An optimal assignment should be made to
cells with a zero entry, maintaining the one-
to-one requirement

 If more than one optimal solution exists, a

trial-and –error approach can be used to find
all possible combination assignments in the
zero cells.
4.2 SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…
Example 2

A department has five employees with five

jobs to be performed. The cost (in $ 100) each
employee will incur to perform each job is
given in the following matrix.

Required
How should the jobs be allocated, one per
employee, so as to minimize the total cost?
4.2 SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…
Step 1: Develop the cost table from the given
problem

Employees

I II III IV V

A 10 5 13 15 16

B 3 9 18 13 6

JOBS C 10 7 2 2 2

D 7 11 9 7 12

E 7 9 10 4 12
4.2 SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…
Step 2: Find the opportunity cost table

a. Perform row operation b. Perform Column operation

Employees Employees

I II III IV V I II III IV V

A A 5 0 8 10 11
Jobs 5 0 8 10 11 Jobs

B B 0 6 15 10 3
0 6 15 10 3
C C 8 5 0 0 0
8 5 0 0 0
D D 0 4 2 0 5
0 4 2 0 5
E E 3 5 6 0 8
3 5 6 0 8
4.2 SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…
Step 3.Test for an optimal assignment

a. Draw the minimum number of Horizontal and/or Vertical

lines necessary to cover all zeros costs. always try to cover two or
more zeros with one line.
b. Count the number of lines

Employees
No of Lines (4)
I II III IV V <
A 5 0 8 10 11 No of Rows/Columns (5)
B 0 6 15 10 3
C
i.e, the solution is not
8 5 0 0 0 optimal
D 0 4 2 0 5
E 3 5 6 0 8
Jobs
4.2 SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…
Step 4.Improve the present opportunity cost table (matrix)

a. Find the smallest entry in the uncovered cells (cells with no lines through
them) and subtract it from all entries in the uncovered cells.
b. Add the same smallest entry to those cells in which the lines intersect
(cells with two lines them)
c. Cells with one line through them are transferred (i.e. unchanged to the
improved table)

Employees
No of Lines (5)
I II III IV V =
A 5 0 6 10 9 No of Rows/Columns (5)
B 0 6 13 10 1
i.e, the solution is optimal
C 10 7 0 2 0
D 0 4 0 0 3
E 3 5 4 0 6
Jobs
4.2 SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…
Step 5: Make an optimal assignment

 An optimal assignment should be made to cells with a zero entry,

maintaining the one-to-one requirement

 If more than one optimal solution exists, a trial-and –error approach can
be used to find all possible combination assignments in the zero cells.

Employees

I II III IV V
All rows (Jobs) are
A 5 0 6 10 9
Jobs assigned to All columns
B 0 6 13 10 1 (Employees)
C 10 7 0 2 0
D 0 4 0 0 3
E 3 5 4 0 6
4.2 SOLVING FOR ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…

Solution: The optimal assignment schedule

Job Employee cost(in $100)

A II 5
B I 3
C V 2
D III 9

E IV 4

Total cost = $2,300

4.3 ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS - Exercises
Example 3

 A car rental company has one car at each of five depots I, II, III, IV and V. A
customer in each of the five towns A, B, C, D and E requires a car. The distance
in (in kilometers) between the depots and towns where the customers are, is
given in the following distance matrix:

Required
 How should the cars be assigned to the customers so as to minimize the
distance traveled?

I II III IV \V
A 160 130 175 190 200

B 135 120 130 160 175

C 140 110 155 170 185

D 50 50 90 80 110

E 55 35 70 80 105
4.3. SPECIAL CASES IN THE ASSIGNMENT
PROBLEMS

I. Multiple Optimal Solutions

 While making an assignment in the reduced assignment matrix, it is possible to

have two or more ways to strike off a number of zeros.
 no unique 0 will exist at some point, resulting in more than one choice for
assignment and hence, more than one optimal solution.
 In such cases the more suitable solution may be considered by the decision-maker.
Example1
 Given this final assignment table, identify two optimal solutions.

Job Machine (Estimated time in minute)

1 2 3

A 4 0 0
B 0 3 2
C 1 0 0
4.3 SPECIAL CASES IN THE ASSIGNMENT
PROBLEMS…
II. Maximization case in assignment problems
 converting the given maximization problem into a
minimization problem.

Adjustment
Find the largest profit coefficient in the entire
assignment table.
Subtract each entry in the original table from the
largest profit coefficient.
The transformed assignment problem so obtained can
be solved by using the Hungarian method.
SPECIAL CASES IN THE ASSIGNMENT
PROBLEMS…
II. Maximization case in assignment problems
 converting the given maximization problem into a minimization
problem.

Example 2
 A company has four territories open, and four salesmen available
for an assignment. Based on the past performance, the following
table shows the annual sales (in $) that can be generated by
each salesman in each territory. Find the optimal assignment and
the maximum expected total sales.

I II III IV
A 42 35 28 21

B 30 25 20 15

C 30 25 20 15

D 24 20 16 12
4.3 SPECIAL CASES IN THE ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…

III. Unbalanced AP(unequal number of rows vs

columns)

 In such cases a dummy row(s) or column(s) are

added in the matrix (with zeros as the cost
elements) to make it a square matrix.

 After making the given cost matrix a square

matrix, the Hungarian method may be used to
solve the problem.
4.3 SPECIAL CASES IN THE ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS…

III. Unbalanced AP(unequal number of rows vs columns)

Example 3
 MEGA printing press, a publisher headquartered in Addis Ababa, wants to
assign three recently hired college graduates, Marta, Balcha and Hirut to
regional sales districts in Mekelle, Bahir Dar, and Dire Dawa. But the firm
also has an opening in Gambella and would send one of the three there if it
were more economical than a move to Mekelle, Bahir Dar and Dire Dawa.
It will cost Br. 1,000 to relocate Marta to Gambela, Br. 800 to relocate
Balcha there, and Br. 1,500 to move Hirut. What is the optimal assignment
of personnel to offices?

Mekelle Bahir Dar Dire Dawa

Marta 800 1,100 1,200

Balcha 500 1,600 1,300

Hirut 500 1,000 2,300

4.3 SPECIAL CASES IN THE ASSIGNMENT
PROBLEMS…
IV. Restrictions on Assignments
 a particular match or pairing may be either undesirable or
otherwise unacceptable.

Adjustment
 the cost of performing that particular activity by a particular
resource is considered to be very large (written as M or  ) so as to
prohibit the entry of this pair of employee-job into the final solution.
 Analysis is performed as usual except the M is ignored throughout
the analysis. That is, M is not used in any reductions, nor is any
value added to it or subtracted from it during the course of the
analysis.
4.3 SPECIAL CASES IN THE ASSIGNMENT
PROBLEMS…

IV. Restrictions on Assignments

Example 4
 In the modification of a plant layout of a factory four new
machines M1, M2, M3 and M4 are to be installed in a
machine shop. There are five vacant places A, B, C, D
and E available. Because of limited space, machine M2
can not be placed at C and M3 cannot be placed at A. the
cost of placing of machine at place i (in $) is shown below.
A B C D E
M1 9 11 15 10 11
Machine
M2 12 9 - 10 9

M3 - 11 14 11 7

M4 14 8 12 7 8
 Reflections and Experience Sharing

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Questions and Discussion

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