Column generation based approaches for a tour scheduling problem with a multi-skill heterogeneous workforce

To solve this problem, we developed four methods: a compact Mixed Integer Linear Programming model, a branch-and-price like approach with a nested dynamic program to solve heuristically the subproblems, a diving heuristic and a greedy heuristic based on our subproblem solver. The computational results, based on both real cases and instances derived from real cases, demonstrate that our methods are able to provide good quality solutions in a short computing time. Our algorithms are now embedded in a commercial software, which is already in use in a mini-mart company.