Letter to the Editor—Locating Stepping-Stone Paths in Distribution Problems Via the Predecessor Index Method

This paper presents an explicit procedure for finding improving cycles or paths in the distribution model. The procedure developed may be incorporated in the row-column sum method. When this is done, both the row and column numbers and the predecessor index numbers may be determined simultaneously, a fact which contributes to the rapidity of the method. The chief difference between our method and other labeling procedures derives from the fact that the ordinary procedures are implemented in a “dual” framework and are concerned with identifying a flow augmenting path that maintains dual feasibility.