Integration of expert system and integer programming for optimisation of strategic planning

Abstract

This paper introduces a framework for design and optimisation of strategic planning by integration of expert system (ES) and integer programming (IP). The development process of the ES is facilitated through knowledge base, learning module, inference engine, description tools and usability testing and inspection. To achieve the above objective, all indigenous and exogenous factors affecting strategic planning are categorised and translated into rules in the ES. Moreover, general strategies and their decision circumstances or criteria are given to the system. The IP model is introduced to optimise the recommended strategies among business units of large organisations. The integration of ES and IP for optimisation of strategic planning is a unique and new approach and has several advantages discussed in this paper. The approach of this paper was designed and tested for a medium-sized manufacturer of construction products and presents the advantages of the integrated IP and ES. This is the first study that i...