A QUICK SUFFICIENT SOLUTION TO THE MORE-FOR-LESS PARADOX IN THE TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM

In a transportation problem, is it possible to find a solution with le ss (or equal) cost than the optimal solution by shipping more units un der the condition that at least the same amount is shipped from each s upply point and to each market? This more-for-less analysis could be u seful for managers in decisions such as increasing warehouse/plant cap acity, or advertising efforts to increase demand at certain markets, I n this paper we develop a sufficient condition to identify candidate m arkets and supply points. The method is easy to apply and can serve as an effective tool for managers in solving the more-for-less paradox f or large transportation problems, by providing the user with an insigh t into the problem. The procedure developed in this paper can also be used as an affective alternate solution algorithm for solving certain transportation problems, (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights res erved.