Solving a multi-objective multi-skilled manpower scheduling model by a fuzzy goal programming approach

Abstract

Manpower scheduling is an intricate problem in production and service environments with the purpose of generating fair schedules that consider employers’ objectives and employees’ preferences as much as possible. However, sometimes, vagueness of information related to employers’ objectives and employees’ preferences leads to the fuzzy nature of the problem. This paper presents a multi-objective manpower scheduling model regarding the lack of clarity on the target values of employers’ objectives and employees’ preferences. Hence, a fuzzy goal programming model is developed for the presented model. Afterwards, two fuzzy solution approaches are used to convert the fuzzy goal programming model to two single-objective models. Finally, the results obtained by both single-objective models are compared with each other to select the solution that has the greatest degree of the satisfaction level of employers’ objectives and employees’ preferences.