Research Directions in Information Systems for Humanitarian Logistics

This article systematically reviews the literature on using IT (Information Technology) in humanitarian logistics focusing on disaster relief operations. We first discuss problems in humanitarian relief logistics. We then identify the stage and disaster type for each article as well as the article’s research methodology and research contribution. Finally, we identify potential future research directions

Analysis of Impact of ICT Solutions in International Freight Management

The paper analyses a crucial problem in the international freight management and assesses the application of an innovative solution based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools. In order to improve the customs clearance procedures, the paper analyses the main anomalies and bottlenecks related to international freight management of a case study by modelling the customs clearance activities in the Unified Modelling Language framework. Moreover, some novel ICT based solutions are proposed in order to optimize suited performance indices. The flow of goods and information involved in the case study is simulated in different scenarios in order to highlight the improvements reached by using ICT solutions. The simulation results point out the huge impact of ICT on customs clearance operations

Optimization of material transportation system for factory logistic

Material transportation system (MTS) often being used to move materials inside a factory, warehouse, or other facility. The five main types of equipment are industrial trucks, automated guided (AGV) vehicles, rail-guided vehicles, conveyors, and hoist and cranes. This report focused on AGV where the optimization of MTS is further studied. Applying an AGVs in logistic factory may help in improving the efficiency in material flow and distribution among workstation at right time and right place. The main objective of this project is to study transportation requirement in a factory which consist of dynamic factors. The used of dynamic system in modelling gives an advantages in term of flexibility for changes of orders, unexpected machine or equipment failure, production delays, and other decisions then feedback to alter inventories and backlogs. This report present the method to organize and analyze the movement of AGV in warehouse area to obtain the optimum number of AGVs required in the warehouse to fulfill all the task given by simulation software. Anylogic software is being used to build a simulation model and analyzed the system performance. The obtained results was the optimization of MTS for factory logistic which produce effective material handling system and creates the systematic handling system in warehouse. By manipulating number of AGV, system throughput and cycle time being observed. Data obtained from simulation being compared as number of AGV had change. Minitab 17 software are used to create statistical graph in 2D and 3D surface in order to analyze and evaluate the results

A Survey of Prediction and Classification Techniques in Multicore Processor Systems

In multicore processor systems, being able to accurately predict the future provides new optimization opportunities, which otherwise could not be exploited. For example, an oracle able to predict a certain application\u27s behavior running on a smart phone could direct the power manager to switch to appropriate dynamic voltage and frequency scaling modes that would guarantee minimum levels of desired performance while saving energy consumption and thereby prolonging battery life. Using predictions enables systems to become proactive rather than continue to operate in a reactive manner. This prediction-based proactive approach has become increasingly popular in the design and optimization of integrated circuits and of multicore processor systems. Prediction transforms from simple forecasting to sophisticated machine learning based prediction and classification that learns from existing data, employs data mining, and predicts future behavior. This can be exploited by novel optimization techniques that can span across all layers of the computing stack. In this survey paper, we present a discussion of the most popular techniques on prediction and classification in the general context of computing systems with emphasis on multicore processors. The paper is far from comprehensive, but, it will help the reader interested in employing prediction in optimization of multicore processor systems

Simulation and optimization of a multi-agent system on physical internet enabled interconnected urban logistics.

An urban logistics system is composed of multiple agents, e.g., shippers, carriers, and distribution centers, etc., and multi-modal networks. The structure of Physical Internet (PI) transportation network is different from current logistics practices, and simulation can effectively model a series of PI-approach scenarios. In addition to the baseline model, three more scenarios are enacted based on different characteristics: shared trucks, shared hubs, and shared flows with other less-than-truckload shipments passing through the urban area. Five performance measures, i.e., truck distance per container, mean truck time per container, lead time, CO2 emissions, and transport mean fill rate, are included in the proposed procedures using real data in an urban logistics case. The results show that PI enables a significant improvement of urban transportation efficiency and sustainability. Specifically, truck time per container reduces 26 percent from that of the Private Direct scenario. A 42 percent reduction of CO2 emissions is made from the current logistics practice. The fill rate of truckload is increased by almost 33 percent, whereas the relevant longer distance per container and the lead time has been increased by an acceptable range. Next, the dissertation applies an auction mechanism in the PI network. Within the auction-based transportation planning approach, a model is developed to match the requests and the transport services in transport marketplaces and maximize the carriers’ revenue. In such transportation planning under the protocol of PI, it is a critical system design problem for decision makers to understand how various parameters through interactions affect this multi-agent system. This study provides a comprehensive three-layer structure model, i.e. agent-based simulation, auction mechanism, and optimization via simulation. In term of simulation, a multi-agent model simulates a complex PI transportation network in the context of sharing economy. Then, an auction mechanism structure is developed to demonstrate a transport selection scheme. With regard of an optimization via simulation approach and sensitivity analysis, it has been provided with insights on effects of combination of decision variables (i.e. truck number and truck capacity) and parameters settings, where results can be drawn by using a case study in an urban freight transportation network. In the end, conclusions and discussions of the studies have been summarized. Additionally, some relevant areas are required for further elaborate research, e.g., operational research on airport gate assignment problems and the simulation modelling of air cargo transportation networks. Due to the complexity of integration with models, I relegate those for future independent research

Developing Improvement Strategy To Increase Logistics Service Quality And Mitigate Risks In PT. Tiga Permata Logistik And PT. Tiga Permata Ekspres

Recently, the growth of business value of 3PL in Indonesia increases from year to year. It can be seen from the growth of 15% of 3PL value business in 2014, which equals to US$170 billion from the previous year, 2013, which has reached US$ 150 billion or equals to IDR 1,772 trillion (Asosiasi Logistik Indonesia, 2014). As the business, trading, production are growing, the needs of 3PL are also increasing. 3PL industries are faced with the growing interest in their services, thus they have to deal with the increased competition as well. They compete to serve the best logistics service quality to attract and grab more customers. It has become a concern for 3PL or logistics service provider to improve the logistics service quality and to increase the competitiveness. Improving the logistics service quality does not only aim to get more profit, but also to engage more with the customers, to satisfy and to increase the loyalty of the customers. With this strategy, a 3PL company can be more sustain in the competition. Besides trying to increase the competitiveness by improving the logistics service quality, a 3PL company is required to run its business and provide a service in an efficient way. This research aims to propose strategy in increasing the logistics service quality and mitigating the risks in PT. Tiga Permata Logistik and PT. Tiga Permata Ekspres. This research applies House of Risk (HOR) in evaluating the risks or problems occurred in logistics service quality and generating the strategy required to improve the logistics service quality that will be provided by PT. Tiga Permata Logistik and PT. Tiga Permata Ekspres. The result of HOR I and the use of Pareto concepts shows that there are 12 critical risk agents and 3 critical indicator problems to be prioritized. Based on these critical risk agents and indicator problems, the improvement strategy is developed. The result of HOR II shows that there are 28 improvement strategies that can be implemented. These strategies used to increase Logistics Service Quality (LSQ) indicator and mitigate risks that potentially occur in this company