Decision making in supply chains and value networks: the beer game evolution.

New trends in inter-organization configurations are challenging the traditional concept of supply chain. Concepts such as Virtual Enterprise were introduced to describe scenarios in which manufacturers operate as nodes within a network of suppliers, customers, engineers, and other specialized service functions. Our aim is to build a simulation tool based on the rules of the Beer Game that includes the variables of a virtual enterprise, VirtuE in particular, and risk management in order to understand the strategies underlying the subject\u2019s behavior in the face of risk within a means-end chain. The simulation tool will contribute to understanding the complexity of managing decision making in supply chains and networks. This study presents the tests carried out on the original game, the new variables introduced, and the simulation results

A Study of the Impact of Information Blackouts on the Bullwhip Effect of a Supply Chain Using Discrete-Event Simulations

This study adds to the supply chain management literature by introducing and investigating information blackouts, sudden and short-duration failure of the information flow. This study aims to contribute to the literature in following ways: first, to define information blackouts in a supply chain. Second, to investigate the response of supply chains to information blackouts using discrete-event simulation. Prior research has focused more on analyzing systemic disruptions to supply chains from well-known sources. We expect the results of this study to be useful to supply chain managers in disaster prone areas

Ellátási láncok irányítási algoritmusai a sörjáték példáján

A sörjáték egy szimulációs eszköz, amely rendszerdinamikai sajátosságok bemutatására szolgál egy egyszerűsített ellátásilánc-modell alkalmazásával. A szerző ennek egy továbbfejlesztett, véletlenszerű igényt tartalmazó változatát használja. A cikkben öt irányítási algoritmust mutat be: 1. visszacsatolást nem tartalmazó, vezérlés jellegű mechanizmus, ami állandó rendelési időközt és állandó rendelési mennyiséget alkalmaz, 2. közvetlen visszacsatolás, 3. két beavatkozási határértéket tartalmazó állásos szabályozás, 4. egy célértéket tartalmazó visszacsatolás, 5. előrejelzésen alapuló előrecsatolás. Az elemzések részben lejátszott játékok felhasználásával, részben pedig Monte Carlo szimulációval történtek

Simulation Modeling and Analysis of TNMCS for the B-1 Strategic Bomber

Simulation provides a method of modeling complex systems which would otherwise be impractical for quantitative experimentation. While other analytic techniques have been used to explore Total Non-Mission Capable [due to] Supply (TNMCS) rates, simulation offers a novel approach to discovering what aspects of the supply chain impact this metric. This research develops a discrete event simulation to investigate factors which affect TNMCS rates for the B-1B by modeling the core processes within the Air Force (AF) supply chain. A notional fleet of 16 aircraft at a single air base (Ellsworth AFB, SD) is modeled based on historical supply and maintenance data. To identify and quantify the effects of various factors, an experimental design is used for analyzing the output of our high-level discrete event simulation. Additionally, two different approaches to reporting and modeling Air Logistics Center (ALC) stockage effectiveness (SE) are compared to our baseline simulation. This exploration shows several factors which significantly impact TNMCS rates and have the potential to reduce them to their current targets

A study of the impact of collaborative and simulation sessions on learning lean principles and methods

This research is aimed at obtaining a better understanding of the impact of the use of collaborative and simulation sessions for learning lean principles and methods. Study participants were enrolled in a Lean Manufacturing System Engineering (IE436/536) course at Oregon State University or at three other business and engineering universities where lean manufacturing or related courses focusing on lean principles and methods were taught, including Oakland University's Pawley Lean Institute, University of Pittsburgh, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Lean principles and methods have been documented as an effective improvement methodology and have been applied by many organizations globally since the late 1970s. With the widespread application and potential benefit of lean principles and methods, several professional centers, engineering schools, and some business schools, have taught lean principles and methods in order to educate and train learners in lean knowledge and skills before and/or after entering the workplace. Non-traditional teaching methods e.g., collaborative learning activities and simulation activities aimed at improving training and teaching have been widely used and have been shown to be successful in some studies (e.g., Verma, 2003; Armstrong, 2003; Nikendei, 2007). Little research, however, has focused on how these non-traditional teaching methods might affect learner perceptions e.g., self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes. The relationship between learning and learner perceptions related to the learning of lean principles and methods when using non-traditional teaching methods is also not well understood. The purpose of this research study was three fold: first, to examine the impact of lean collaborative and simulation sessions on lean learning, self-efficacy beliefs, and attitudes; second, to determine whether or not learner background knowledge had an impact on lean learning, self-efficacy beliefs, or attitudes; and, finally, to explore the relationships between lean learning, self-efficacy beliefs, and attitudes. In the first study, data were collected from students who took IE436/536 Lean Manufacturing Systems Engineering at Oregon State University during the Fall term of 2010 or the Fall term of 2011. In the second study, data were collected from students who enrolled in three other engineering or business schools where lean manufacturing systems or related courses that included content involving lean principles and methods were taught using collaborative and simulation sessions. Data from the first study were used to examine the impact of lean collaborative and simulation sessions on learning, self-efficacy beliefs, and attitudes; data from the second study were used to examine on self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes. Results from the first study point out the importance of the use of collaborative sessions on learning for both lean methods studied (Jidoka and pull); whereas, the use of simulation, following collaborative sessions, provided benefits only to those students learning Jidoka methods. The research revealed that the content plays a role in the effect of the use of collaborative and/or simulation sessions. Overall, analysis of individual self-efficacy beliefs revealed no significant self-efficacy differences after participants engaged in simulation sessions. The results did indicate that there were significant differences in intrinsic goal motivation after participating in simulation sessions. The level of background knowledge demonstrated a mixed effect on learning and on attitudes. The findings showed a significant difference in learning pull only for some students. The level of background knowledge did impact learner intrinsic goal motivation, but did not impact other attitudes. In addition, the results indicated that the type of session and background knowledge impacted learning; whereas, only self-efficacy beliefs was shown to impact learner attitudes. In the second study, the overall research findings show that significant differences in learner extrinsic goal motivation resulted from the use of collaborative and simulation sessions. The findings revealed that the sequencing of the teaching methods influenced learner attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs. For example, significant differences in learner task value were found only when participants participated in simulation sessions first, followed by collaborative sessions. Similarly, the results showed that participants from universities, in which learners participated in collaborative sessions first, followed by simulation sessions, had higher levels of self-efficacy beliefs when compared with participants from a university in which learners participated in simulation sessions first and then collaborative sessions. Taken together, these research findings provide evidence that the use of collaborative and simulation session, as supplemental tools for teaching lean principles and methods, is beneficial. Based on these results lean educators should consider the content areas, the sequence of the use of non-traditional teaching methods, and self-efficacy beliefs as important potential factors in teaching and training lean principles and methods

Delivery Time Uncertainty in Dynamic Supply Networks

Today, business models are invariably part of complex networks of suppliers, manufacturers and distributors. Uncertainty is recognized as an inevitable characteristic of supply networks and managers need to be aware of its specifications and consequences of that. Therefore, understanding, acknowledgement, and moderation of the causes and effect of uncertainty is crucial. Under-controlled uncertainty leads to the improvement of networks performances and reliable networks. This paper complies with uncertain complex supply networks with their fundamental types. By defining critical routes in PERT networks, a combination of stochastic and mathematical models calculates the delivery time uncertainty in supply networks. This approach can be used as a tool for managers to control and monitor uncertainty in complex networks