Assignment Problem
The assignment problem is a special type of transportation problem,
where the objective is to minimize the cost or time of completing a
number of jobs by a number of persons.
In other words, when the problem involves the allocation of n different
facilities to n different tasks, it is often termed as an assignment
problem.
The model's primary usefulness is for planning.
The assignment problem also encompasses an important sub-class of socalled shortest- (or longest-) route models.
The assignment model is useful in solving problems such as, assignment
of machines to jobs, assignment of salesmen to sales territories,
travelling salesman problem, etc.
An efficient method for solving assignment problems that was developed
by a Hungarian mathematician D.Konig.
Assumptions in Assignment Problem
Number of jobs is equal to the number of machines or persons.
Each man or machine is assigned only one job.
Each man or machine is independently capable of handling any job to be
done.
Assigning criteria is clearly specified (minimizing cost or maximizing
profit).
Hungarian Method: Assignment Problem
Hungarian Method is an efficient method for solving assignment problems.
This method is based on the following principle:
If a constant is added to, or subtracted from, every element of a row
and/or a column of the given cost matrix of an assignment problem, the
resulting assignment problem has the same optimal solution as the
original problem.
Hungarian Algorithm
The objective of this section is to examine a computational method - an
algorithm - for deriving solutions to the assignment problems. The following
steps summarize the approach:
Steps in Hungarian Method
1. Identify the minimum element in each row and subtract it from every
element of that row.
2. Identify the minimum element in each column and subtract it from every
element of that column.
3. Make the assignments for the reduced matrix obtained from steps 1 and
2 in the following way:
i.
For each row or column with a single zero value cell that has not
be assigned or eliminated, box
that zero value as an assigned cell.
ii.
For every zero that becomes assigned, cross out (X) all other zeros
in the same row and the same column.
iii.
If for a row and a column, there are two or more zeros and one
cannot be chosen by inspection, then you are at liberty to choose
the cell arbitrarily for assignment.
iv.
The above process may be continued until every zero cell is either
assigned
or crossed (X).
4. An optimal assignment is found, if the number of assigned cells equals
the number of rows (and columns). In case you have chosen a zero cell
arbitrarily, there may be alternate optimal solutions. If no optimal
solution is found, go to step 5.
5. Draw the minimum number of vertical and horizontal lines necessary to
cover all the zeros in the reduced matrix obtained from step 3 by
adopting the following procedure:
i.
ii.
Mark all the rows that do not have assignments.
Mark all the columns (not already marked) which have zeros in the
marked rows.
iii.
Mark all the rows (not already marked) that have assignments in
marked columns.
iv.
Repeat steps 5 (i) to (iii) until no more rows or columns can be
marked.
v.
Draw straight lines through all unmarked rows and marked
columns.
6. Select the smallest element from all the uncovered elements. Subtract
this smallest element from all the uncovered elements and add it to the
elements, which lie at the intersection of two lines. Thus, we obtain
another reduced matrix for fresh assignment.
7. Go to step 3 and repeat the procedure until you arrive at an optimal
assignment.
Example 1: Hungarian Method
The Funny Toys Company has four men available for work on four separate
jobs. Only one man can work on any one job. The cost of assigning each man to
each job is given in the following table. The objective is to assign men to jobs in
such a way that the total cost of assignment is minimum.
Job
Perso
n
A
B
C
D
20
15
19
25
25
18
17
23
22
23
21
24
28
17
24
24
Solution.
This is a minimization example of assignment problem. We will use the Hungarian
Algorithm to solve this problem.
Step 1
Identify the minimum element in each row and subtract it from every element
of that row. The result is shown in the following table.
Table
Job
Perso
n
A
B
C
D
0
0
2
2
5
3
0
0
2
8
4
1
8
2
7
1
Step 2
Identify the minimum element in each column and subtract it from every
element of that column.
Table
Job
Perso
1
2
3
4
n
0
5
1
7
A
0
3
7
1
B
2
0
3
6
C
2
0
0
0
D
Step 3
Make the assignments for the reduced matrix obtained from steps 1 and 2 in
the following way:
a) For each row or column with a single zero value cell that has not be
assigned or eliminated, box
that zero value as an assigned cell.
b) For every zero that becomes assigned, cross out (X) all other zeros in the
same row and the same column.
c) If for a row and a column, there are two or more zeros and one cannot be
chosen by inspection, choose the cell arbitrarily for assignment.
d) The above process may be continued until every zero cell is either
assigned
or crossed (X).
Step 4
An optimal assignment is found, if the number of assigned cells equals the
number of rows (and columns). In case you have chosen a zero cell arbitrarily,
there may be alternate optimal solutions. If no optimal solution is found, go to
step 5.
Table
Job
Perso
n
A
B
C
D
2
2
5
3
1
7
3
7
1
6
Step 5
Draw the minimum number of vertical and horizontal lines necessary to cover
all the zeros in the reduced matrix obtained from step 3 by adopting the
following procedure:
i.
Mark all the rows that do not have assignments.
ii.
Mark all the columns (not already marked) which have zeros in the
marked rows.
iii.
Mark all the rows (not already marked) that have assignments in marked
columns.
iv.
Repeat steps 5 (ii) and (iii) until no more rows or columns can be marked.
v.
Draw straight lines through all unmarked rows and marked columns.
Table
Step 6
Select the smallest element (i.e., 1) from all the uncovered elements. Subtract
this smallest element from all the uncovered elements and add it to the
elements, which lie at the intersection of two lines. Thus, we obtain another
reduced matrix for fresh assignment.
Table
Job
Perso
1
2
3
4
n
0
4
0
6
A
0
2
6
0
B
3
0
3
6
C
3
0
0
0
D
Now again make the assignments for the reduced matrix.
Final Table: Hungarian Method
Job
Perso
n
A
B
2
4
2
4
6
3
3
6
C
3
D
Since the number of assignments is equal to the number of rows (& columns),
this is the optimal solution.
The total cost of assignment = A1 + B4 + C2 + D3
Substituting values from original table: 20 + 17 + 17 + 24 = Rs. 78.
