Discrete location problems with push–pull objectives Original Research Article

The models within operational research concerned with locational decisions mostly either consider only the positive effects, pulling the facilities towards demand, or only negative effects, pushing the facilities away from the places affected by the facilities nearness. In real-world situations both of these opposing forces are at work. We give an overview of a number of push–pull models, yielding alternative ways to incorporate both types of effects simultaneously. The discussion is restricted to models of combinatorial optimisation and includes indications of reduction to standard models and/or algorithmic approaches where possible.