Constraint Theory: Multidimensional Mathematical Model Management

ISBN-13: 9780387234182 / Angielski / Twarda / 2005 / 188 str.

George Friedman

Opis

At first glance, this might appear to be a book on mathematics, but it is really intended for the practical engineer who wishes to gain greater control of the multidimensional mathematical models which are increasingly an important part of his environment. Another feature of the book is that it attempts to balance left- and right-brain perceptions; the author has noticed that many graph theory books are disturbingly light on actual topological pictures of their material. One thing that this book is not is a depiction of the Theory of Constraints, as defined by Eliyahu Goldratt in the 1980's. Constraint Theory was originally defined by the author in his PhD dissertation in 1967 and subsequent papers written over the following decade. It strives to employ more of a mathematical foundation to complexity than the Theory of Constraints. This merely attempts to differentiate this book from Goldratt's work, not demean his efforts. After all, the main body of work in the field of 1 Systems Engineering is still largely qualitative .

Recenzje

Dr. George Friedman is indisputably the father of the very powerful methods of Constraint Theory. Indeed, in 1970 it received major commendation by the IEEE: Dr. Friedman's pioneering research was awarded the highly prestigious W.R.G. Baker prize as the most significant published research contribution among thousands of published research papers. This speaks volumes for Dr. Friedman's contribution. --Cornelius T. Leondes, UCLA

Friedman's accomplishment represents engineering at its finest. The choice of subject matter must be honored by the experience gained in his many years of high-level service in the company now known as Northrop-Grumman. The credibility of the theory rests upon the formal proofs which are interspersed among the illuminating hypothetical dialog sequences between manager and analyst, which bring out distinctions that the organization must face, en route to accepting Friedman's work as essential to achieve quality control in developing and applying large models. --John N. Warfield

Spis treści

Motivations: What is Constraint Theory and why is it important?- The Four-fold way: How to Perceive Complex Mathematical Models and Well-Posed Problems.- General Results: From Protomath to Math to Metamath.- Regular Relations: Searching for the Kernels of Constraint.- Discrete and Interval Relations: The Diminished Utility of Metamodels.- The Logical Structure of Constraint: Theory A Compact Summary.- Examples of Constraint Theory Applied to Real-World Problems.- Manager and Analyst Meet Again: Gists and Schizophrenia.

O autorze

Dr. George Friedman ist Gründer und Leiter des weltweit führenden privaten Informationsdienstes Stratfor. Er hat zahlreiche Bücher und Artikel zu den Themen Sicherheitspolitik, Nachrichtenwesen und Technologie veröffentlicht. Als renommierter Experte für internationale Geopolitik ist er regelmäßig in führenden US-Medien wie auch international präsent, unter anderem im Fernsehen, im Time Magazine, im Wall Street Journal und im New York Times Magazine.

Blurb

The enormous potential of digital computation to manage new complex systems is impeded by exponential increases in complexity. As the model's dimensionality increases from hundreds to thousands of variables, and as submodels constructed by diverse technical teams are integrated into the total model, the model is likely to become inconsistent and even more likely, the computational requests on the model become unallowable. This text analyzes the way constraint theory employs bipartite graphs and constraint matrices to detect and correct these well-posed problems. It also presents the process of locating the "kernel of constraint", literally trillions of times faster than a random search, determining consistency and compatibility within seconds. This text is an invaluable reference for all engineers, mathematicians and managers concerned with modeling.

"Dr. George Friedman is indisputably the father of the very powerful methods of constraint theory." --Cornelius T. Leondes, UCLA

"Groundbreaking work. ... Friedman's accomplishment represents engineering at its finest. ... The credibility of the theory rests upon the formal proofs which are interspersed among the illuminating hypothetical dialog sequences between manager and analyst, which bring out distinctions that the organization must face, en route to accepting Friedman's work as essential to achieve quality control in developing and applying large models." --John N. Warfield