Resumo

CHEW-HERNANDEZ, Mario Luis; VIVEROS-ROSAS, Leopoldo  e  VELAZQUEZ-ROMERO, Verónica. A decision analytic methodology for determining the geographical dispersion of a salesforce. Ing. invest. y tecnol. [online]. 2018, vol.19, n.3, pp.255-266. ISSN 2594-0732.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fi.25940732e.2018.19n3.022.

This paper addresses the decision made by retailers when establishing how its salesmen are to be distributed among the potential customers (companies that may make a purchase) inside its operation range. A methodology, based on decision analysis, aiming to formally incorporate all available information about potential customers and salesmen to the decision, is presented. First, metrics for the qualities of both sets are developed; then, influence diagrams are used to calculate the expected sale of a specific pairing of potential customer and vendor. By pre-calculating the expected sale of all such pairings, the allocation of potential customers to salesmen that maximizes the total sale is the solution of a linear binary programming problem. If the travel cost of the salesmen is to be considered, this optimal allocation can be the starting point of an incremental heuristic algorithm. After stating the methodology, its numerical application to a hypothetical case study is presented, closing with remarks on its potential practical relevance.

Palavras-chave : Decision analysis; salesforce management; uncertainty; influence diagrams; subjective probability.