A Functional Objective Search Approach to Aggregate Planning

This article details how survey evidence of aggregate planning practice can be modelled to develop a functional objective search (FOS) system which incorporates the strategies and multiple objectives of the aggregate planning problem. The system is structured to be interactive in use and capable of providing near optimal, low cost planning decisions which reflect different functional interests. The FOS system is validated using data concerning a paint company taken from the literature. A wider range of aggregate planning variables and issues are also explored during 125 test runs in which the system is used to consider varying functional emphasis, variable worker productivity and profit.