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Long-Range Planning for a West Texas Catholic Diocese

Author

Listed:
  • John C. Butler

    (McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712)

  • Leon S. Lasdon

    (McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712)

  • James S. Dyer

    (McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712)

  • Leslie T. Maiman

    (The Catholic Diocese of San Angelo, San Angelo, Texas 76905)

Abstract

This paper describes a decision-support system (DSS) implemented for the Roman Catholic diocese of San Angelo, Texas. The objective of this DSS is to support long-range diocese planning with a focus on the impact of a decreasing number of available priests and with changes in the mix of languages that the available priests speak. The key component of the DSS is a mixed-integer programming optimization model; although our problem is similar to a location-routing problem, our model has some noteworthy differences. We implemented this model using the General Algebraic Modeling System with an Excel interface to make it more adaptable to the needs of the chancellor of the diocese. The chancellor used this model to explore the impact of a decrease in the availability of priests in the region, and the diocese's Priest Personnel Board has adopted it for use in additional studies.

Suggested Citation

  • John C. Butler & Leon S. Lasdon & James S. Dyer & Leslie T. Maiman, 2009. "Long-Range Planning for a West Texas Catholic Diocese," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 39(2), pages 133-144, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:39:y:2009:i:2:p:133-144
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.1080.0412
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