Algebraic and Combinatorial Methods in Operations Research

For the first time, this book unites different algebraic approaches for discrete optimization and operations research. The presentation of some fundamental directions of this new fast developing area shows the wide range of its applicability.Specifically, the book contains contributions in the following fields: semigroup and semiring theory applied to combinatorial and integer programming, network flow theory in ordered algebraic structures, extremal optimization problems, decomposition principles for discrete structures, Boolean methods in graph theory and applications.