Barry Moore, a division manager of Barry's Burger Barn, a chain of fast food restaurants, is reviewing the goals for the company's different departments. The marketing department has set a goal to increase sales by 15 percent over the next year but the accounting department has set a goal to reduce costs by 25 percent by seeking cost efficiencies. In balancing these goals, Barry is engaged in ________.

Finding an alternative with the most cost effective or highest achievable performance under the given constraints, by maximizing desired factors and minimizing undesired ones. In comparison, maximization means trying to attain the highest or maximum result or outcome without regard to cost or expense. Practice of optimization is restricted by the lack of full information, and the lack of time to evaluate what information is available. In computer simulation (modeling) of business problems, optimization is achieved usually by using linear programming techniques of operations research.