Integration of Expert System and Integer Programming for Optimization of Strategic Planning

This paper introduces a framework for design and optimization of strategic planning by integration of human-centered expert system and integer programming (IP). The development process of the expert system 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 categorized and translated into rules in the expert system. Moreover, general strategies and their decision circumstances or criteria are given to the system. The human-centered expert system is designed and tested for a medium-sized manufacturer of construction products. The IP model is introduced to optimize the recommended strategies among business units of large organization. The integration of expert system and IP for optimization of strategic planning is unique and new and has several unique 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 integrated IP and expert system.