Assets to Optimize

The Princeton Consultants perspective on “Optimization” is that it essentially is about improving decision making about Assets.

By “Assets”, we mean anything of value the business has some control over – i.e., we are not limiting the word “Assets” to “things that appear on the balance sheet”.

In this section of the website we briefly explain and examine each Asset type. Note that by selecting from our case studies, you’ll see that in every case the business was optimizing multiple Asset types. You may also find it interesting to examine that multiple [decision types] are optimized, and multiple [optimization challenges].

Optimization has great potential, but this potential is only realized in the real world if the Optimizers can accurately model the complete problem domain.

We classify assets into eight classes to assist in describing the rules and constraints that govern them. These rules and constraints include physical, regulatory, contractual, marketplace, policy, and practical.

People

Employees, vendors, customers, shoppers

Raw Materials

Raw materials, components, finished goods

Containers

Storage or shipping containers, shelf space

Vehicles

Trucks, planes, trains, ships, manufacturing equipment

Land

Farms, distribution centers, transit points

Finances/Investments

Capital funds, investment portfolios

Digital & Other Intangibles

Web space, TV/radio time, intellectual property