Downsizing production operations with operations multi-objective programming

One strategy that has been used extensively to cut operation costs is downs izing, a planned reduction in a firm's work force. Downsizing must be based on a thorough analysis of the firm's prioritized opportunities and their l imited economic resources to achieve them. Some operations research techniq ues have appeared in the literature as Practical aids in downsizing methodo logy. The purpose and significance of the research ill this paper is to: pr ovide the first demonstration of how a prioritized multi-objective programm ing-oriented methodology (i.e. goal programming) can be used for planning t he downsizing of production/operations resources; and demonstrate a new met hodological approach that can be used to determine previously hidden goals in a manufacturing linear pvogvammiizg model of the downsizing problem. Bas ed on a problem reported in the literature, this paper will illustrate how apt optimal allocation of production resources can be achieved while provid ing useful information in which to ensure other prioritized goals and their economic tradeoffs ave considered in the downsizing analysis.