Ant colony algorithm for the partner selection problem in a complex product system project

Partner selection is critical for the success of a complex product system (CoPS) project. The factors influencing partner selection are summarized and quantified, and a multi-objective integer programming model is proposed to formulate the decision making process of partner selection. The objective is to reduce the risk of project failure and to minimize the overall project cost and the tardiness penalty. An optimal combination of partners could be found for all sub-projects. An ant colony algorithm is proposed to solve the partner selection model. The numeric test results showed that the proposed model, together with its ant colony algorithm, is effective in selecting partners for CoPS projects.