Tackling Dynamic Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows by means of Ant Colony System

The Dynamic Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (DVRPTW) is an extension of the well-known Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), which takes into account the dynamic nature of the problem. This aspect requires the vehicle routes to be updated in an ongoing manner as new customer requests arrive in the system and must be incorporated into an evolving schedule during the working day. Besides the vehicle capacity constraint involved in the classical VRP, DVRPTW considers in addition time windows, which are able to better capture real-world situations. Despite this, so far, few studies have focused on tackling this problem of greater practical importance. To this end, this study devises for the resolution of DVRPTW, an ant colony optimization based algorithm, which resorts to a joint solution construction mechanism, able to construct in parallel the vehicle routes. This method is coupled with a local search procedure, aimed to further improve the solutions built by ants, and with an insertion heuristics, which tries to reduce the number of vehicles used to service the available customers. The experiments indicate that the proposed algorithm is competitive and effective, and on DVRPTW instances with a higher dynamicity level, it is able to yield better results compared to existing ant-based approaches.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

Analysis of the importance of the Merei Parish in the tourism and agrotourism in Buzau County

The paper is analysing the evolution of the main indicators that characterize tourism and agrotourism in Buzau County, emphasizing the contribution that the Merei Parish has in attracting tourists in this area , by calculating the weight held by the number of the touristic structures, of the housing capacity, the arrivals and overnights of the tourists from the registered total in Buzau County. The Merei Parish represents one of the key points of attraction for both Romanian and foreign tourists, benefiting from many views, a treatment resort, an area that is favorable to the development of the majority of types of tourism, including agrotourism, also being an area where agrotouristical activities can take place and high quality products can be produced in order to trade them in boarding houses

Analysis of the importance of the Merei Parish in the tourism and agrotourism in Buzau County

The paper is analysing the evolution of the main indicators that characterize tourism and agrotourism in Buzau County, emphasizing the contribution that the Merei Parish has in attracting tourists in this area , by calculating the weight held by the number of the touristic structures, of the housing capacity, the arrivals and overnights of the tourists from the registered total in Buzau County. The Merei Parish represents one of the key points of attraction for both Romanian and foreign tourists, benefiting from many views, a treatment resort, an area that is favorable to the development of the majority of types of tourism, including agrotourism, also being an area where agrotouristical activities can take place and high quality products can be produced in order to trade them in boarding houses

The analysis of the agricultural holdings structure in the communes Bisoca, Pietroasele and Gherăseni, Buzau County

This paper represents a first part of a larger study on three villages in Buzau County using a questionnaire implemented in three different geographical areas villages. There are showed some descriptive statistics based on data from the questionnaire. These statistics help us to better illustrate the reality of the analyzed villages. Are shown agricultural holdings structures by the owned group area and after the exploited area, aiming to describe the exploitation area level, the agricultural machinery provision and the production disposed for sale. All these manage to outline a picture of agricultural holdings in Buzau county, image needed to find solutions to the county agriculture development

The tourism seasonality in Romania

One of the problems which establishments managers must deal with is the seasonality from tourism. The seasonality causes may be natural (the seasons succession, climatic conditions), the variety and the cultural values attractiveness, the frequency of events (fairs, festivals, etc.) and economic and organisational (structure of the school year and university year, holidays, increasing the length of leisure time and its redistribution, habits, etc.). In this paper we pursued the seasonality calculation at the country level by calculating the coefficient of the seasonality of accommodation and overnight stays, resulting, for the period 2010-2013, for a total tourist structures an obvious seasonality. The magnitude of seasonal variation and their frequency of manifestation has consequences on the development of tourism and its efficiency, as well as other sectors of the economy, branches that tourism develops in interdependence

The agricultural consultancy activities, structures and features performed in the territory of the Olt County

The paper analyzes the consultancy activities organization and development in Olt County during the period 2008-2012. The average number of villages returned to a consultant was of 7, and the number of farms of 6441. It was found that most activities are represented by organizing seminars and group counseling, workshops, group visits and demonstration. As a consultant’s work appreciation activity it has been analyzed the number of projects carried out or in progress. In the period 2008-2012 there were carried out 2010 projects and the average per consultant was of 184, which means 37 per year. The projects carried out or in progress were directed predominantly to invest in vineyards, orchards, the purchase of agricultural machinery and vegetable greenhouses, and animal production. Highlighting these problems, it was shown on the one hand, the need to know the current situation for all consulting activities performed and on the other hand the hierarchy existence of the main technical and socio-economic problems structure manifested at the farm level

The Certification of Quality Management Systems in the Footwear and Leather Goods Industry in Romania – A Passport for the E.U. Accession

We are experiencing a convoluted period regarding the answers to the questions about the European Union integration. We are trying to determine the criteria of existence on the EU market, a developing market in itself or rather one that is trying to adjust to the global market. Could the certification of the quality management system be a guarantee of the penetration and maintenance of the Romanian companies on the EU market?Quality Management System; Certification; Leather Goods Industry

The agricultural consultancy activities, structures and features performed in the territory of the Olt County

The paper analyzes the consultancy activities organization and development in Olt County during the period 2008-2012. The average number of villages returned to a consultant was of 7, and the number of farms of 6441. It was found that most activities are represented by organizing seminars and group counseling, workshops, group visits and demonstration. As a consultant’s work appreciation activity it has been analyzed the number of projects carried out or in progress. In the period 2008-2012 there were carried out 2010 projects and the average per consultant was of 184, which means 37 per year. The projects carried out or in progress were directed predominantly to invest in vineyards, orchards, the purchase of agricultural machinery and vegetable greenhouses, and animal production. Highlighting these problems, it was shown on the one hand, the need to know the current situation for all consulting activities performed and on the other hand the hierarchy existence of the main technical and socio-economic problems structure manifested at the farm level

The maize crop technology characterized by its main indicators at the country level and in Călăraşi county

The aim of this paper was to analyze the maize crop at the country and the Călăraşi county level and in the two companies submitted to the case study. This analysis highlighted the importance of the maize crop, crop that is being cultivated on large areas of the country and county, and that also occupies a larger area of the total area of the two companies. The maize crop is very popular in our country because it finds good environmental factors conducive to a proper development, yields per hectare are very good if the technology requirements are complied The indicators used have emphasized the evolution of this culture during the analyzed periods and its capitalization in the companies studied

The maize crop technology characterized by its main indicators at the country level and in Călăraşi county

The aim of this paper was to analyze the maize crop at the country and the Călăraşi county level and in the two companies submitted to the case study. This analysis highlighted the importance of the maize crop, crop that is being cultivated on large areas of the country and county, and that also occupies a larger area of the total area of the two companies. The maize crop is very popular in our country because it finds good environmental factors conducive to a proper development, yields per hectare are very good if the technology requirements are complied The indicators used have emphasized the evolution of this culture during the analyzed periods and its capitalization in the companies studied