Radosław Ryńca

The Use of the Generalised Knapsack Problem in Computer Aided Strategic Management

There are many methods and tools in the literature that are helpful in strategic management. Some of them are related to the aspect of sustainability in terms of controlling and balancing the level of fulfilment of the different, sometimes conflicting, objectives which must be considered while building strategies. These tools include product portfolio methods. However, their use is often intuitive and detached from the quantitative aspects of management, such as cost-related restrictions or other quantitative restrictions imposed by the market or by internal circumstances. This article presents a proposal for the modification of portfolio methods aimed at enforcing the portfolio’s quantitative aspect through the use of a discrete optimisation problem, namely the knapsack problem. Interacting with the decision maker, the quantitative parameters of the situation and the strategic goals are determined. Following this, a proposal solution is generated by a computer system in which the respective algorithms for the generalised knapsack problem (also called the generalised assignment problem) are embedded. The decision maker can accept the solution or change the parameters if the solution does not suit them or if they simply want to have other solutions for comparison. The outline of the system and the interaction between the decision maker and the system is illustrated by means of an example of constructing strategies for a university.

The Role of Perceived Market Orientation in Higher Education: Polish and Australian Experiences

The Role of Perceived Market Orientation in Higher Education: Polish and Australian Experiences