A Face Optimization Algorithm for Optimizing over the Efficient Set

In this paper a face optimization algorithm is developed for solving the problem (P) of optimizing a linear function over the set of efficient solutions of a multiple objective linear program. Since the efficient set is in general a nonconvex set, problem (P) can be classified as a global optimization problem. Perhaps due to its inherent difficulty, relatively few attempts have been made to solve problem (P) in spite of the potential benefits which can be obtained by solving problem (P). The algorithm for solving problem (P) is guaranteed to find an exact optimal or almost exact optimal solution for the problem in a finite number of iterations.