Assignment Problems

ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
• Assignment problem like the transportation problem is a special class of
LP problems which can be formulated and solved as linear problem.
• This occurs when m objective must be assigned to n facilities on a one-to-
one basis.
• This involves efficient assignment of workers to tasks/projects,
salespersons to sales territories, contracts to bidders, jobs to
machines, and so on a one-to-one basis.
• The objective is to assign a number of resources to an equal number of
activities so as to minimize total costs or total time or maximize total profit
of the assignment.
• Assignment models are special type of LP models where
• Number of sources = Number of destinations
• Each capacity and requirement value = 1
Cont’d
Assumption:
• The AP is a special case of TP under the condition that the number of
origins is equal to the number of destinations. Viz. m=n .Hence assignment
is made on the 1:1 basis.
i.e.,
• Number of jobs is equal to the number of machines or persons
• Each man or machine is loaded with one and only one job.
• Each man or machine is independently capable of handling any of the jobs
being presented.
• Each capacity and requirement value = 1 ( i.e., the supply at each source
and the demand at each destination are always one unit.).

• To illustrate the assignment process, consider the following example.

A firm has five (5) jobs that must be assigned to five (5) work crews.
Because of varying experience of the work crews, each work crew is not
able to complete each job with the same effectiveness. The cost of each
work crew to do each job is given by the cost matrix as shown below. The
objective is to assign the jobs to the work crews so as to minimize the total
cost of completing all jobs.
Work crew, i Jobs, j
1 2 3 4 5
1 41 72 39 52 25
2 22 29 49 65 81
3 27 39 60 51 40
4 45 50 48 52 37
5 29 40 45 26 30
1. Formulate LPM
2. Workout the optimal assignment plan for the firm
 Cont’d
• An assignment problem seeks to minimize the total cost assignment of
m workers to n jobs, given that the cost of worker i performing job j is cij.
• It assumes all workers are assigned and each job is performed.
• An assignment problem is a special case of a transportation problem in
which all supplies and all demands are equal to 1; hence assignment
problems may be solved as linear programs.
• It is solved using tables as shown in the next slide.
• The network representation of an assignment problem with five workers
and five jobs is shown on the next slide.
• Network Representation
c11
1 1
c12
c13

c21
c22
2 2
c23

c31 c32

3 3
c33

4 4

5 5
JOBS
WORKERS
 Cont’d
• Linear Programming Formulation

Min ∑cijxij
s.t.
∑ xij = 1 for each resource (row) i
j
∑ xij = 1 for each job (column) j
i
xij = 0 or 1 for all i and j.
Expanded form of the concise model can be obtained like TP
LP formulation

• For the example the LP formulation is:

Min z = 41x11 + 72x12 + 39x13 + 52x14 + 25x15 +…………….. +30x55
Subject to
x11 + x12 + x13 + x14 + x15 = 1 (row 1, supply constraint)
x21 + x22 + x23 + x24 + x25 = 1 (row 2)
x31 + x32 + x33 + x34 + x35 = 1 (row 3)
x41 + x42 + x43 + x44 + x45 = 1 (row 4)
x51 + x52 + x53 + x54 + x55 = 1 (row 5)

x11 + x21 + x31 + x41 + x51 = 1 (column 1, demand constraint)

x12 + x22 + x32 + x42 + x52 = 1 (column 2)
x13 + x23 + x33 + x43 + x53 = 1 (column 3)
x14 + x24 + x34 + x44 + x54= 1 (column 4)
x15 + x25 + x35 + x45 + x55= 1 (column 5)
xij ≥ 0 for i = 1, 2, 3, 4,5 and j = 1, 2, 3, 4,5 (nonnegativity)
 Cont’d

Jobs J1 J2 J3 Jn Capacity
Work crews (ai)
W1 X11, C11 X12, C12 X13, C13 X1n, C1n 1
.. .. .. .. .. ..

W3 .. .. .. .. ..
.. .. .. .. .. ..

Wn Xn1, Cn1 .. .. Xnn, Cnn 1

Requirement (bj) 1 1 1 1 n

Xij represents the Assignment of ith worker to jth job ;

Xij = either 1 or 0
Cij represent cost of assigning ith worker to jth job
 Cont’d
As in the transportation problem, assignment problems can be balanced or
not. In a balanced case, the number of objects to be assigned equals the
number of objects to which they are assigned. Unbalanced problem can be
balanced by adding a dummy (dummies) with zero cost coefficients.
Methods of solving assignment problems: An assignment problem can
be solved by the following methods:
1. Simplex method
2. Transportation method
3. Hungarian method
 Hungarian Method
Steps in solving assignment problems:
Step.1. Develop the cost table/matrix from the given problem: if the
number of rows does not equal the number of columns and vice versa,
then a dummy row or dummy column must be added. The assignment
costs for dummy cells are always zero.
Step 2.Find the opportunity cost table/matrix: It involves two
operations:
2a. Perform row operation: Identify the minimum cost element in
each row and then subtract that from each element in that row. This
gives the first reduced cost matrix.
2b. Perform column operation: In the reduced matrix obtained from
2a, locate the smallest element in each column and then subtract that
from each element in that column. This gives the second reduced cost
matrix.
 Cont’d

Step 3.Test for an optimal assignment: Test if an assignment with a total

reduced cost of zero is possible from the second reduced matrix. If so, this
assignment is optimal. If not, proceed to step 4. The procedure for test of
optimality is:
a. Draw the minimum number of Horizontal and /or Vertical lines necessary
to cover all zero costs. Draw the lines by trial and error but always try to
cover two or more zeros with one line.
b. Count the number of the lines: If the minimum number of lines equals
either the number of rows or columns in the table, an optimal
assignment/solution is reached. If the minimum number of lines is less
than the number of rows or columns, an improvement is possible (we
proceed to step 4).
 Cont’d
Step 4. Improve the present opportunity cost table (matrix): This is
done by the following operations:
a) Find the smallest number in the uncovered cells (cells with no lines
through them) and subtract it from all numbers in the uncovered cells.
b) Add the same smallest number to those cells in which the lines
intersect (cells with two lines over them)
c) Cells with one line through them are transferred (i.e. unchanged to
the improved table).
d) In those problems where the first improvement does not yield an
optimal solution, we keep on improving the solution by repeating
step 4 until an optimal solution is achieved.
Step 5: Make an optimal assignment
• An optimal assignment should be made to cells with a zero entry,
maintaining the one-to-one requirement
• If more than one optimal solution exists, a trial-and –error approach can
be used to find all possible combination assignments in the zero cells.
Note that multiple optimal solutions are possible.
 Example:: cont’d

Step 1: Subtract minimum number in each row from all numbers in that row.

Work Jobs, j Smallest

crew, i 1 2 3 4 5 Number to be
Subtracted
1 41 72 39 52 25 25
2 22 29 49 65 81 22
3 27 39 60 51 40 27
4 45 50 48 52 37 37
5 29 40 45 26 30 26
 Example: Initial Tableau cont’d

Step 1: Subtract minimum number in each row from all numbers in that row
to get the first reduced cost matrix

Work Jobs, j Smallest

crew, i 1 2 3 4 5 Number
Subtracted
1 16 47 14 27 0 25
2 0 7 27 43 59 22
3 0 12 33 24 13 27
4 8 13 11 15 0 37
5 3 14 19 0 4 26
Is the initial solution optimal?

The solution is not optimal

 Example: Second Tableau cont’d

Step 2: Subtract the minimum number in each column from all numbers in
that column to get the second reduced cost matrix

Work crew, i Jobs, j

1 2 3 4 5
1 16 47 14 27 0
2 0 7 27 43 59
3 0 12 33 24 13
4 8 13 11 15 0
5 3 14 19 0 4
No. to be subtracted 0 7 11 0 0
 Example: Second Tableau cont’d

Step 2: Subtract the minimum number in each column from all numbers in
that column to get the second reduced cost matrix
Work crew, i Jobs, j
1 2 3 4 5
1 16 40 3 27 0
2 0 0 16 43 59
3 0 5 22 24 13
4 8 6 0 15 0
5 3 7 8 0 4
No. 0 7 11 0 0
subtracted
Is the initial solution optimal?
The solution is optimal
Optimal Solution
The optimal assignments among workers and jobs with
respective cost of assignment is:

Work crew Jobs Cost of assignment

1 5 25
2 2 29
3 1 48
4 3 9
5 4 26
Total cost of assignment $155
Note that it is not always possible to obtain an optimal assignment from
the second reduced cost matrix.
Ex. Cont’d
Modify the original tableau by interchange the final two elements in the 4th
column of the original tableau to show the above situation.
Jobs, j
Work crew, i 1 2 3 4 5
1 41 72 39 52 25
2 22 29 49 65 81
3 27 39 60 51 40
4 45 50 48 26 37
5 29 40 45 52 30
Initial tableau
Work crew, i Jobs, j Smallest Number
1 2 3 4 5 Subtracted
1 16 47 14 27 0 25
2 0 7 27 43 59 22
3 0 12 33 24 13 27
4 19 24 22 0 1 26
5 0 11 16 23 4 29
Second tableau Ex. Cont’d
Work crew, i Jobs, j
1 2 3 4 5
1 16 40 0 27 0
2 0 0 13 43 59
3 0 5 19 24 13
4 19 17 8 0 11
5 0 4 2 23 1 Minimum
no.
Smallest Number Subtracted 0 7 14 0 0

Third tableau
Work crew, i Jobs, j
1 2 3 4 5
1 17 40 0 27 0
2 1 0 13 43 59
3 0 4 18 23 12
4 20 17 8 0 11
5 0 3 1 22 0
Check for optimality!
Optimal Solution
The optimal assignments among workers and jobs with respective cost
of assignment is:

Work crew Jobs Cost of assignment

1 3 39
2 2 29
3 1 27
4 4 26
5 5 30
Total cost of assignment $151
Note that if this was not the optimal solution, we would have repeated step
4 until an optimal solution is reached.
Exercise 1:
A computer center has three programmers. The center wants three
application programs to be developed. The head of the computer center,
after studying carefully the programs to be developed, estimated the
computer time in minutes required by the experts for the application
programs as follows:

Programs (Estimated time in minutes)

A B C
Programmers

1 120 100 80
2 80 90 110
3 110 140 120

Assign the programmers to the programs in such a way that the total
computer time is minimized.
Exercise 1:
Solution
The pattern of assignment among programmers and programs with
their respective time (in minute) is given below:

Programmer Program Time (In minutes)

1 C 80
2 B 90
3 A 110
Total time 280 minutes
ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
Exercise 2:
A department has five employees with five jobs to be performed .The
time (in hours) each man will take to perform each job is given in the
effectiveness matrix.

Employees
I II III IV V
A 10 5 13 15 16
Jobs

B 3 9 18 13 6
C 10 7 2 2 2
D 7 11 9 7 12
E 7 9 10 4 12
How should the jobs be allocated, one per employees, so as to minimize
the total man-hours?
Solution
The pattern of assignments among jobs and employees with respective
time (in hours) is given below:
Job Employee Time (In hours)

A II 5
B I 3
C V 2
D III 9
E IV 4
Total time 23 Hours
SPECIAL CASES IN ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
1. Multiple optimal solution
2. Maximization Cases
3. Unbalanced Assignment Problems
4. Prohibited Assignments

1. Multiple Optimal Solutions

• It is possible to have two or more ways to strike off a number of zeros.
Such situation indicates multiple optimal solutions with the same optimal
value of objective function.
• In multiple optimal solutions, no unique 0 will exist at some point,
resulting in more than one choice for assignment and hence, more than
one optimal solution.
 SPECIAL CASES IN ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
Example: The foreman of a machine shop wants to determine a minimum
cost matching for operators and machines. The foreman has determined
hourly cost of four operators for the four machines, as shown in the
following cost table.
Machine (Estimated cost in $)
A B C D
Operator

1 70 80 75 64
2 55 52 58 54
3 58 56 64 68
4 62 60 67 70

Required:
a) Determine the minimum-cost assignment for this problem
b) What is the total cost for the optimal assignment?
c) Is there an alternative optimal assignment? What is it? Calculate the total
cost for the alternate optimal assignment.
ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
Solution

Operator Machine Cost (in $) Operator Machine Cost (in $)

1 D 64 1 D 64
2 C 58 2 C 58
3 B 56 3 A 58
4 A 62 4 B 60
Total Cost $240 Total Cost $240
SPECIAL CASES IN ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
2. Maximization case in assignment problems
• This may arise in a variety of situations when the assignment problem is
maximization of profit, revenue, etc as the objective function. Such
problem may be solved by stating the given maximization problem into
its corresponding opportunity cost matrix (minimization problem) by the
following procedure:
• Find the largest profit coefficient in the table or column
maximum.
• Subtract each entry in the original table from the largest profit
coefficient in the table or subtract each number in each column
from column maximum.
• Then the transformed assignment problem (opportunity cost matrix) can
be solved by using the Hungarian method.
 Example: A company has four territories open, and four salesmen available
for an assignment. The territories are not equally rich in their sales
potential. Based on the past performance, the following table shows the
annual sales (in $) that can be generated by each salesman in each
territory. Find the optimal assignment and the maximum expected total
sales.
Territory (Annual Sales in $)
I II III IV
Salesmen

A 42 35 28 21
B 30 25 20 15
C 30 25 20 15
D 24 20 16 12
Territory (Annual Sales in $)
Opportunity
Cost Matrix I II III IV
Salesmen

A 0 7 14 21
B 12 17 12 27
C 12 17 12 27
D 18 12 26 30
Solution

Salesman Territory Sales (in $) Operator Machine Cost (in $)

A I 42 A I 42
B III 20 B II 25
C II 25 C III 20
D IV 12 D IV 12
Total $99 Total $99
SPECIAL CASES IN ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
C. Unbalanced Assignment problem
• The Hungarian method of assignment requires that the number of
columns and rows in the assignment matrix be equal. However, when the
given cost matrix is not a square matrix, the assignment problem is called
an unbalanced problem. In such cases a dummy row(s) or column(s)
are added in the matrix (with zeros as the cost elements) to make it a
square matrix. After making the given cost matrix a square matrix, the
Hungarian method may be used to solve the problem.
SPECIAL CASES IN ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
Example: MEGA printing press, a publisher headquartered in Addis
Ababa, wants to assign three recently hired college graduates, Marta,
Bacha and Hirut to regional sales districts in Mekelle, Bahir Dare, and
DireDawa. But the firm also has an opening in Gambela and would send
one of the three there if it were more economical than a move to Mekelle,
Bahir Dar and Dire Dawa. It will cost Br. 1,000 to relocate Marta to
Gambela, Br. 800 to relocate Baklcha there, and Br. 1,500 to move
Hirut. What is the optimal assignment of personnel to offices?

Mekelle Bahir Dar Dire Dawa

Marta 800 1100 1200

Bekcha 500 1600 1300
Hirut 500 1000 2300
SPECIAL CASES IN ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
Solution : To balance the problem, we add a dummy row (person) with a zero
relocation cost to each city.

City
C1 C2 C3 C4(Gambela)
Person

P1 800 1,100 1,200 1,000

P2 500 1,600 1,300 800
P3 500 1,000 2,300 1,500
SPECIAL CASES IN ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
Solution : To balance the problem, we add a dummy row (person)
with a zero relocation cost to each city.

City
C1 C2 C3 C4(Gambela)
Person

P1 800 1,100 1,200 1,000

P2 500 1,600 1,300 800
P3 500 1,000 2,300 1,500
Dummy 0 0 0 0
ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
Solution

Person City Cost (In birr)

Dummy(No person) Dire Dawa 0

Hirut Mekelle 500

Bekcha Gambela 800

Marta Bahir Dare 1100

Total Cost Br. 2,400
SPECIAL CASES IN ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
D. Restricted/ unacceptable/ undesirable assignments
• In certain instances, it may happen that a particular match or pairing may
be either undesirable or otherwise unacceptable.
• For example, an employee may not have the skills necessary to perform
a particular job or a machine may not be equipped to handle a particular
operation. In such cases, the cost of performing that particular activity by
a particular resource is considered to be very large (written as M or  )
so as to prohibit the entry of this pair of employee-job into the final
solution.
• When such a restriction is present, a letter (M) is often placed in the
table in the position that would represent a paring. Analysis is performed
as usual except the M is ignored throughout the analysis. That is, M is
not used in any reductions, nor is any value added to it or subtracted
from it during the course of the analysis.
SPECIAL CASES IN ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
• Example
• In the modification of a plant layout of a factory four new
machines M1, M2, M3 and M4 are to be installed in a machine
shop. There are five vacant places A, B, C, D and E available.
Because of limited space, machine M2 can not be placed at C and
M3 cannot be placed at A. the cost of placing of machine at place
i (in $) is shown below.

Location
A B C D E
Machine

M1 9 11 15 10 11
M2 12 9 - 10 9
M3 - 11 14 11 7
M4 14 8 12 7 8
ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS
Solution

Machine Location Cost (in $)

M1 A 9

M2 B 9

M3 E 7

M4 D 7

M5 (Dummy) C 0

Total Cost $32

Take - home test
One: Alem and Associates Inc., is an accounting firm that has three new
customers. Three project leaders will be assigned to these customers.
Based on the different backgrounds and experiences of leaders, the
various leader-customer assignments and differ in terms of projected
completion times. The possible assignments and estimated completion
times in days are shown below.

Project Customers
leader 1 2 3
Takele 10 16 32
Paulos 14 22 40
Hirut 22 24 34
• Formulate the problem as a LP and determine the optimal assignment
with possible total time required to complete the project
Take-home Test
Two: A product is produced at three plants and shipped to three warehouses. The
transportation cost/unit are shown below.

Plant Warehouses Plant

W1 W2 W3 capacity
P1 20 16 24 300
P2 10 10 8 500
P3 12 18 10 100
Warehouse 200 400 300
requirement

a) Develop a LPM for minimizing transportation cost and determine the minimum cost
solution or the optimal transportation plan. What does the optimal tableau signify?
b) Determine the optimal transportation plan for the same problem if the entries were
profit/ unit instead of cost/unit.