Cost-oriented resource allocation optimization of the business processes with many-to-many relationship between resources and activities

As an important issue for business process management, the optimal resource allocation can effectively improve the efficiency of the implementation of business processes. Cost-oriented resource allocation optimization of the business processes with many-to-many relationship between resources and activities is addressed using numerical analysis and optimization approaches based on mathematical models. First, a formal business process model for cost and resource allocation is presented based on set theory. Then, the mathematic model of the number of resources allocated and its task assignment is proposed and solved by jointing the branch and bound method and the heuristic method. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified using the numerical cases.