Optimization Methods for a Stakeholder Society

For both public and private managers, the book Optimization Methods for a Stakeholder Society is today's key to answer the problem of a sustainable development world. This world has to take into account the meaning of all stakeholders involved and has to reconcile a number of objectives, such as economic growth, employment and preservation of the ecosystem. Traditional methods, such as cost-benefit, are outmoded as they translate all these objectives into monetary costs, a materialistic approach. On the contrary, objectives have rather to stick to their own units, eventually indicators.

Brauers (applied economics, Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Antwerp, Belgium) advocates the use of nonlinear methods in multi-objective optimization in sustainable development. He illustrates several nonlinear approaches from different fields, such as privatization in the public sector, regional versus national economic policy, location of seaports, arms procurement, updating or replacement of old industry, and marketing and distribution. The book is intended for both public and private managers and for researchers in the areas of applied mathematics, engineering, economics, operation research, and management sciences. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR