Concepts and Models

Reza Zanjirani Farahani

Informatics and Operations Management Kingston Business School Kingston University, Kingston Hill Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey KT2 7LB

Shabnam Rezapour

Industrial Engineering Department, Urmia University of Technology, Urmia, Iran

Laleh Kardar

Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA

r&iffllIhe- AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD ELSEVIER PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO

Elsevier

32 Jamestown Road London NW1 7BY 225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451, USA

First edition 2011

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher's permissions policies and our arrangement with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elscvicr.com/permissions

This book and the individual contributions contained in it arc protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein).

Notices

Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.

Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.

To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

ISBN: 978-0-12-385202-1

For information on all Elsevier publications visit our website at www.elscvierdirect.com

This book has been manufactured using Print On Demand technology. Each copy is produced to order and is limited to black ink. The online version of this book will show color figures where appropriate.

Working together to grow libraries in developing countries

www.elsevier.com|www.bookaid.org|www.sabre.org

ELSEVIER Sabre Foundation