A transition planning method applied in a decision support system for potplant nurseries

In the Netherlands, some thousands of glasshouse nurseries produce potplants. The design of a good production plan is often a complex problem, because of the great number of different types of potplants and their varying requirements for space and labour during the cultivation process. During the last six years a decision support system was developed. Researchers and practitioners cooperate closely in this project. It is possible to characterize the developed model by the name ‘transition planning’, because the essential operation optimizes the transition of the firm’s present production scheme towards a desired production scheme. The computerprograms are divided into programs for simulation and for optimization of production plans. The decision support system, implemented on several types of microcomputers, is already in practice in a number of potplant nurseries. Improvements of the net financial results of about ten percent have been reached.