Disruptive technologies in agricultural operations: a systematic review of AI-driven AgriTech research

The evolving field of disruptive technologies has recently gained significant interest in various industries, including agriculture. The fourth industrial revolution has reshaped the context of agricultural technology (AgriTech) with applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and a strong focus on data-driven analytical techniques. Motivated by the advances in AgriTech for agrarian operations, the study presents a state-of-the-art review of the research advances which are, evolving in a fast pace over the last decades (due to the disruptive potential of the technological context). Following a systematic literature approach, we develop a categorisation of the various types of AgriTech, as well as the associated AI-driven techniques which form the continuously shifting definition of AgriTech. The contribution primarily draws on the conceptualisation and awareness about AI-driven AgriTech context relevant to the agricultural operations for smart, efficient, and sustainable farming. The study provides a single normative reference for the definition, context and future directions of the field for further research towards the operational context of AgriTech. Our findings indicate that AgriTech research and the disruptive potential of AI in the agricultural sector are still in infancy in Operations Research. Through the systematic review, we also intend to inform a wide range of agricultural stakeholders (farmers, agripreneurs, scholars and practitioners) and to provide research agenda for a growing field with multiple potentialities for the future of the agricultural operations.

     

Model validation in operations research

Numerous articles have appeared in the literature expressing different degrees of concern with the methodology of OR in general and with the validation of OR models in particular. Suggestions have been formulated to remove some of the shortcomings of the methodology as currently practised and to introduce modifications in the approach because of the changing nature of the problems tackled. Advances in modeling capabilities and solution techniques have also had considerable impact on the way validation is perceived. Large scale computer-based mathematical models and especially simulation models have brought new dimensions to the notion of validation. Terms like ‘confidence’, ‘credibility and reliability’, ‘model assessment and evaluation’, ‘usefulness and usability of the model’ have become rather common. This paper is an attempt, through an interpretation of the literature, to put model validation and related issues in a framework that may be of use both to model-builders and to decision-makers.     

Reassessing operations research in Finland

At the beginning of 1980 the Finnish Operations Research Society (FORS) established a working group (OTSA) headed by Y. Seppälä. The aim was to analyse R.L. Ackoff's and others' criticism of operations research in order to make improvement proposals for the Finnish operations research. The final report of this working group was completed in December 1981.Within this project an analysis was made of opinions of members of the Finnish Operations Research Society concerning their own work and role. It was found to be a drawback that the Finnish operations research has been too much concerned with well defined problems, neglecting truly challenging ‘wicked’ problems. Accordingly, the main recommendation of the group is that besides operations researchers concerned with well structured problems we should also train systems analysts to deal essentially with poorly defined problems.This article will provide a profile of the Finnish operations researchers as reflected in the survey. An analysis of the crisis in operations research will be given as well as a portrayal of the roles for operations researcher and systems analyst. The paper concludes by presenting various working methods of systems analysts on the basis of the final report by the OTSA group.     

Challenges and opportunities in crowdsourced delivery planning and operations

4OR - How to best deliver goods to consumers has been a logistics question since time immemorial. However, almost all traditional delivery models involved a form of company employees, whether...     

Information in the operations research process

The article deals with information in the OR process. The value of an ‘optimal’ model solution which is not implemented is not very high. Many errors are due to a too narrow formulation of the problem, often a formulation which has focused on purely technical and economic aspects, or a formulation which has been adapted for a standard model. The concepts and models treated in the article take their point of departure in the actual problem. The models can be used as a frame of reference by various individuals and groups which are involved in OR work.     

Integrating operations research in constraint programming

This paper presents constraint programming (CP) as a natural formalism for modelling problems, and as a flexible platform for solving them. CP has a range of techniques for handling constraints including several forms of propagation and tailored algorithms for global constraints. It also allows linear programming to be combined with propagation and novel and varied search techniques which can be easily expressed in CP. The paper describes how CP can be used to exploit linear programming within different kinds of hybrid algorithm. In particular it can enhance techniques such as Lagrangian relaxation, Benders decomposition and column generation.     

Fisheries management and operations research

Fisheries are subject to a deep-rooted problem of economic inefficiency, often referred to as the fisheries problem. The fisheries problem derives fundamentally from inappropriate social institutions controlling the fishing activity, the foremost of which is the common property arrangement. Fisheries management consists of replacing these institutions with more appropriate ones. Which institutions are most appropriate depends on the social objectives of the fisheries. There are strong economic arguments for the view that there should be only a single objective, namely to maximize the present value of the flow of benefits from the fisheries. In reality, different interest groups often push for several, often conflicting, objectives. In that case a multi-objective programming approach may be appropriate.     

Improving company operations Operations planning/operations research consultancy in Unilever Germany

After a discussion of the attributes of the operational researcher and the manager required for success, the organisation and philosophy of OPOR are described. This is followed by examples to illustrate how the internal consultancy approach is transposed into every day studies.     

Eleven surveys in operations research: III

This volume collects all eleven survey papers that appeared in volumes 7–10 (2009–2011) of the journal 4OR: A Quarterly Journal of Operations Research. We briefly introduce the collected surveys and those that were included in the first two volumes of this series.     

军事运筹学的过去、现在和未来

军事运筹学是从20世纪初发展起来的一门跨领域交叉学科,主要研究解决军事问题的定量分析和决策优化的理论和方法,以做出最优或满意的决策. 回顾军事运筹学的发展历程和国内军事运筹学的发展状况,简要介绍军事运筹学的主要理论方法和研究内容,展望军事运筹学未来发展趋势.     

Application of operations research in agriculture decision making

A survey is given of applications of operations research in the area of agriculture in China, which includes farming, forestry, stock-raising, fishery, etc.