ABSTRACT
The term tabu search (TS) was coined in the same paper that introduced the term metaheuristic (Glover, 1986). TS is based on the premise that problem-solving, to qualify as intelligent, must incorporate adaptive memory and responsive exploration. The adaptive memory feature of TS allows the implementation of procedures that are capable of searching the solution space economically and effectively. As local choices are guided by information collected during the search, TS contrasts with memoryless designs that heavily rely on semi-random processes that implement a form of sampling. The emphasis on responsive exploration (and hence purpose) in tabu search, whether in a deterministic or probabilistic implementation, is derived from the supposition that a bad strategic choice can often yield more information than a good random choice.
