Working Papers

These papers are working drafts of research which often appear in final form in academic journals. The published versions may differ from the working versions provided here.

SSRN Research Paper Series

The Social Science Research Network’s Research Paper Series includes working papers produced by Stanford GSB and the Rock Center.

You may search for authors and topics and download copies of the work there.

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Easily Computed Inventory Policies for Periodic Review Systems: Shortage Cost and Service Level Models

James R. Freeland, Evan L. Porteus
1979

This paper builds on prior work of the authors by developing a shortcut method for determining approximately optimal (s,S) inventory policies for use in a periodic review inventory system in which shortage costs are assessed. The method seems to…

Exact Solution of Crew Scheduling Problems Using the Set Partitioning Model: Recent Successful Applications

Roy E. Marsten, Fred Shepardson
1979

The set partitioning model of the crew rotation problem has been well known for many years. This paper focuses on recent developments that have made this model more attractive and have resulted in several successful implementations. These…

Improved Iterative Computation of the Expected Discounted Return in Markov and Semi-Markov Chains

Evan L. Porteus
1979

This paper seeks to reduce the computation needed by iterative methods to find the expected discounted return in a finite semi-Markov or Markov chain. Two new norm reducing extrapolations and a new iterative method are presented and shown to be…

A Lagrangean Relaxation Algorithm for the Two Duty Period Scheduling Problem

Fred Shepardson, Roy E. Marsten
1979

The two duty period scheduling problem is an integer programming problem with 0-1 constraint coefficients. It is recognized that the problem can be reformulated as a one duty period problem with side constraints. Since the one duty period problem…

Allocation of Managerial Effort: An Investigation of the Relationship Between Decision Strategies, Environment and Performance

James R. Freeland, Charles B. Stabell
1978

The work presented in this paper investigates behaviorally plausible rules for making decisions in complex situations. A rule is plausible if it is consistent with assumptions concerning limits on a decision maker’s information processing…

Anticipated Information Releases Reflected in Call Option Prices

James M. Patell, Mark A. Wolfson
1978

This study captures the ex ante information content of a financial reporting event (the annual earnings announcement) by examining the behavior of call option prices on dates leading up to and passing through the disclosure date. This approach…

Comparison of a Multi-Pass Heuristic Decomposition Procedure with Other Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Procedures

Charles A. Holloway (1936 – 2026), Rosser Nelson, Vichit Suraphongchai
1978

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a heuristic procedure for resource-constrained project scheduling. The procedure is a representative of a class of multi-pass procedures based on problem decomposition and is applicable to single or…

Defining and Improving Decision Making Effectiveness

Charles B. Stabell
1978

Evaluation is seen as key in any systematic attempt to improve decision making effectiveness in unstructured tasks. Decision Support Systems (DSS) are systems designed to extend a manager’s ability to deal with the complexity of the decision…

Using Probabilistic Information in Solving Resource Allocation Problems for a Decentralized Firm

James R. Freeland, Gerhard Schiefer
1978

This paper formulates a general linear programming problem for a multidivision firm where headquarters possesses probabilistic information regarding each division’s opportunities. It is assumed that headquarters is willing to risk implementing a…

Dynamic Choice Theory and Dynamic Programming

David M. Kreps, Evan L. Porteus
1977

Finite horizon sequential decision problems with a “temporal vonNeumann-Morgenstern utility” criterion are analyzed. This criterion, as developed in [7], is a generalization of vonNeumann-Morgenstern (expected) utility of the vector of rewards,…

Heuristic Algorithms for Capital Budgeting Decisions in Multi-Division Firms

Meir J. Rosenblatt, James R. Freeland
1977

This paper presents two versions of a heuristic algorithm to solve a model of the capital budgeting problem in a multi-division firm. These algorithms allow a final allocation of the budget to projects to be found in two information exchanges…

Information Environment Perception and Information Processing Behavior: An Empirical Investigation

Charles B. Stabell
1977

This study investigates the relationship between integrative complexity of managers’ perception of their information environment and the volume, breadth, and balance of their use of information sources. Twenty-nine portfolio managers participated…

An Application of Regression Smoothing for Forecasting Customer Utility Bills

Charles Bonini, James R. Freeland
1976

This paper develops the methodology for regression smoothing models and then applies it to the problem of forecasting utility usage rates for individual customers in a city in Northern California. A class of models which use regression as a…

Implementation of an Interactive Graphics Model for Design of School Boundaries

Charles A. Holloway (1936 – 2026), Patrick Mantey
1976

This paper contains a description of an interactive graphics model for the design of school boundaries which has been implemented in two settings. The first involved a school district in which the Superintendent and his staff used the system to…

Optimal Extrapolations for Discounted Finite Markov Reward Chains

Evan L. Porteus, John C. Totten
1976

Extrapolations are considered for use in conjunction with iterative methods for finding the infinite horizon values for discounted finite Markov reward chains. The iterative methods considered include the Jacobi, Gauss-Seidel, and successive over…

Seam, An Interactive File Simulator

Charles B. Stabell, Jorge J. Morales
1976

SEAM is an interactive file simulator for the evaluation of file alternatives. The simulator focuses on the storages space and access time tradeoffs that are affected by the choice of file organization, access methods and direct access storage…

Temporal Resolution of Uncertainty and Dynamic Choice Theory

David M. Kreps, Evan L. Porteus
1976

We consider dynamic choice behavior under conditions of uncertainty, with emphasis on the timing of the resolution of uncertainty. Choice behavior in which an individual distinguishes between lotteries based on the times at which their…