Abstract: Embodiments are directed to electronic commerce and/or procurement in which buyers and suppliers are linked via an electronic marketplace in a cloud computing environment. Orders are placed by buyers to be executed and delivered by suppliers. An efficient electronic procurement network uses a mathematical optimization algorithm to minimize order costs while adhering to buyer requirements, optimization parameters, and supplier constraints. Suppliers input updated product information, as well as various constraints relating to the products, into the electronic marketplace to be used by the optimization algorithm. In some embodiments, multiple transaction options are provided to the buyer, with the multiple options determined by relaxing one or more of the buyer requirements and optimization parameters in the optimization algorithm.

Abstract: Methods and systems for servicing of machines by workers within a period of time. Acquiring for each service an available servicing time, a time duration for servicing, a location of the machine, and a number of workers having appropriate qualifications to be concurrently present for a service. Acquiring for each worker a worker availability, qualifications and location. Determining a cost function representing a service schedule for each worker, wherein an optimization of the cost function is subject to constraints. The constraints include a number of workers with qualifications concurrently present for a service, each worker starts and ends the period of time at the same location and travels independently from other workers. The cost function includes maximizing a number of services to be performed; minimizing a number of workers required to perform servicing for each service; or minimizing a total travel time for each worker to the location.

Abstract: Methods and systems for servicing of machines by workers within a period of time. Acquiring for each service an available servicing time, a time duration for servicing, a location of the machine, and a number of workers having appropriate qualifications to be concurrently present for a service. Acquiring for each worker a worker availability, qualifications and location. Determining a cost function representing a service schedule for each worker, wherein an optimization of the cost function is subject to constraints. The constraints include a number of workers with qualifications concurrently present for a service, each worker starts and ends the period of time at the same location and travels independently from other workers. The cost function includes maximizing a number of services to be performed; minimizing a number of workers required to perform servicing for each service; or minimizing a total travel time for each worker to the location.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to electronic commerce and/or procurement in which buyers and suppliers are linked via an electronic marketplace in a cloud computing environment. Orders are placed by buyers to be executed and delivered by suppliers. An efficient electronic procurement network uses a mathematical optimization algorithm to minimize order costs while adhering to buyer requirements, optimization parameters, and supplier constraints. Suppliers input updated product information, as well as various constraints relating to the products, into the electronic marketplace to be used by the optimization algorithm. In some embodiments, multiple transaction options are provided to the buyer, with the multiple options determined by relaxing one or more of the buyer requirements and optimization parameters in the optimization algorithm.