A Linesearch-based Derivative-free Approach for Nonsmooth Optimization

In this paper, we propose new linesearch-based methods for nonsmooth optimization problems when first-order information on the problem functions is not available. In the first part, we describe a general framework for bound-constrained problems and analyze its convergence towards stationary points, using the Clarke-Jahn directional derivative. In the second part, we consider inequality constrained optimization … Read more

Strategic Health Workforce Planning

Analysts predict impending shortages in the health care workforce, yet wages for health care workers already account for over half of U.S. health expenditures. It is thus increasingly important to adequately plan to meet health workforce demand at reasonable cost. Using infinite linear programming methodology, we propose an infinite-horizon model for health workforce planning in … Read more

Near-Optimal Algorithms for Capacity Constrained Assortment Optimization

Assortment optimization is an important problem that arises in many practical applications such as retailing and online advertising. In an assortment optimization problem, the goal is to select a subset of items that maximizes the expected revenue in the presence of the substitution behavior of consumers specified by a choice model. In this paper, we … Read more

Robustness to Dependency in Portfolio Optimization Using Overlapping Marginals

In this paper, we develop a distributionally robust portfolio optimization model where the robustness is to different dependency structures among the random losses. For a Frechet class of distributions with overlapping marginals, we show that the distributionally robust portfolio optimization problem is efficiently solvable with linear programming. To guarantee the existence of a joint multivariate … Read more

A Strong Preemptive Relaxation for Weighted Tardiness and Earliness/Tardiness Problems on Unrelated Parallel Machines

Research on due date oriented objectives in the parallel machine environment is at best scarce compared to objectives such as minimizing the makespan or the completion time related performance measures. Moreover, almost all existing work in this area is focused on the identical parallel machine environment. In this study, we leverage on our previous work … Read more

A filter method with unified step computation for nonlinear optimization

We present a filter linesearch method for solving general nonlinear and nonconvex optimization problems. The method is of the filter variety, but uses a robust (always feasible) subproblem based on an exact penalty function to compute a search direction. This contrasts traditional filter methods that use a (separate) restoration phase designed to reduce infeasibility until … Read more

Nonlinear Equilibrium for optimal resource allocation

We consider Nonlinear Equilibrium (NE) for optimal allocation of limited resources. The NE is a generalization of the Walras-Wald equilibrium, which is equivalent to J. Nash equilibrium in an n-person concave game. Finding NE is equivalent to solving a variational inequality (VI) with a monotone and smooth operator on $\Omega = \Re_+^n\cross\Re_+^m$. The projection on … Read more

Lagrangian Transformation and Interior Ellipsoid Methods in Convex Optimization

The rediscovery of the affine scaling method in the late 80s was one of the turning points which led to a new chapter in Modern Optimization – the interior point methods (IPMs). Simultaneously and independently the theory of exterior point methods for convex optimization arose. The two seemingly unconnected fields turned out to be intrinsically … Read more

GENERALIZATIONS OF THE DENNIS-MOR\’E THEOREM II

This paper is a continuation of our previous paper were we presented generalizations of the Dennis-Mor\’e theorem to characterize q-superliner convergences of quasi-Newton methods for solving equations and variational inequalities in Banach spaces. Here we prove Dennis-Mor\’e type theorems for inexact quasi-Newton methods applied to variational inequalities in finite dimensions. We first consider variational inequalities … Read more

Minimal Residual Methods for Complex Symmetric, Skew Symmetric, and Skew Hermitian Systems

While there is no lack of efficient Krylov subspace solvers for Hermitian systems, there are few for complex symmetric, skew symmetric, or skew Hermitian systems, which are increasingly important in modern applications including quantum dynamics, electromagnetics, and power systems. For a large consistent complex symmetric system, one may apply a non-Hermitian Krylov subspace method disregarding … Read more