IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ejores/v321y2025i2p345-362.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Fifty years of metaheuristics

Author

Listed:
  • Martí, Rafael
  • Sevaux, Marc
  • Sörensen, Kenneth

Abstract

In this paper, we review the milestones in the development of heuristic methods for optimization over the last 50 years. We propose a critical analysis of the main findings and contributions, mainly from a European perspective. Starting with the roots of the area that can be traced back to the classical philosophers, we follow the historical path of heuristics and metaheuristics in the field of operations research and list the main milestones, up to the latest proposals to hybridize metaheuristics with machine learning. We pay special attention to the theories that changed our way of thinking about problem solving, and to the role played by the European Journal of Operational Research in the development of these theories. Our approach emphasizes methodologies and their connections with related areas, which permits to identify potential lines of future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Martí, Rafael & Sevaux, Marc & Sörensen, Kenneth, 2025. "Fifty years of metaheuristics," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 321(2), pages 345-362.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:321:y:2025:i:2:p:345-362
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2024.04.004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221724002637
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ejor.2024.04.004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:321:y:2025:i:2:p:345-362. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eor .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.