The Resource Management: Linear Programming package from HaMa is another in their series of computer assisted learning units. This unit comprises a software package and accompanying book covering linear programming by Graphical and Simplex methods.

Linear programming is not, as you may have imagined, a new method of computer programming but a well established management decision-making technique.

Today's manager is frequently faced with decisions which involve allocating resources such as labour, materials and costs in a way which will either maximise profits or minimise costs. These decisions usually arise because there are insufficient resources available to allow the manager to do everything he'd like and may be further complicated by the requirement to complete a minimum amount of a particular activity. Linear programming is an ideal aid to decision making of this type, although it is only really suited to those problems where the relationships between the key variables are of a linear nature (e.g. where producing twice as much of a product uses twice the materials and incurs twice the cost).

The basis of the Graphical method of linear programming is that by forming linear equations of the relationships between the key variables in a problem and their inherent constraints and then plotting these on a graph, an optimum solution satisfying the maximising/minimising objectives can be identified. In situations where more than two key variables have to be taken into consideration, simple graphical linear programming is not sufficient. To solve these more complicated problems the Simplex method is used. This method employs a matrix technique rather than graphical plotting.

The HaMa package contains an excellent book covering the theory and mechanics of linear pro-penning together with programs for both the graphical and simplex methods. There are tutorials for each method using demonstration data and there are problems to test your learning, although unfortunately no answers are supplied (!) In case all this isn't enough, the authors have helpfully supplied a bibliography of recommended further reading.

The programs are well presented, easy to use and make good use of colour and graphics. In addition to helping you learn the techniques they can also be used to solve your own problems, and although limited in the number of different constraints you can apply the programs could be useful in a real business environment.

I found this package very informative; it should be successful as a training aid for this fairly complex topic.