Optimization Methods and Their Efficient Use

The main scientific interests of V. S. Mikhalevich were connected with investigations in optimization theory and system analysis and with the development of newest computer technologies and computer complexes, creation of scientific bases for the solution of various problems of informatization in the fields of economy, medicine, and biology, design of complicated processes and objects, environmental research, and control over important objects. An analysis of the results of investigations along these directions is the subject matter of this chapter. Mikhalevich’s great interest in the development of system analysis methods is shown. They began to be developed with his active participation at the Institute of Cybernetics of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (Austria), National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” (NTUU “KPI”), Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and other scientific and educational establishments of Ukraine. The problematics of this important line of investigations became especially topical in recent decades in connection with investigations of complicated processes of international cooperation in economy, problems of prediction and prevision of possible development of a society under conditions of environmental contaminations, and investigation of other complicated processes from the position of system analysis. In investigating such processes, an important role is played by the Institutes of the Cybernetic Center of NAS of Ukraine and also by the above-mentioned International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis whose creation was directly connected with V. S. Mikhalevich. At present, many scientists from Ukraine and many other countries cooperate with this institute. This chapter elucidates the history of creation of this institute, principles of its work, and the method of financing of important projects. Some important investigations of Ukrainian scientists are also considered that were performed during recent 15–20 years and that consisted of the development of new methods of stochastic and discrete optimization and the further development of the scheme of the method of sequential analysis of variants.