A Web Based Optimization System Using Goal Programming for Supply Chain Network

Considering high competitive nature of todays industries,being on plan is very vital for supply chain network of an organization. Allthe flows of materials from initial suppliers to final customers need to besmooth. Hence, distribution network design is an important strategic decisionproblem for the supply chain managers. The aim of this research is to propose a web-based Decision Support System (DSS) foroptimizing fuzzy distribution network in the context of supply-chain management. A fuzzy goal-programming model has been designedfor the proposed DSS to consider the uncertain and imprecise data. Thisresearch focuses on four conflict fuzzy goals of (i). all demands must be covered by distribution center, (ii).investment goals for opening new sites considering fix costs, (iii). Investmentgoals for opening new distribution centers considering fix costs, (iv). Supplycosts goals, to meet the optimized results. Hence with those attributes ofmembership function of goals, the decision makers can apply this model toobtain the investment policy and the achieved level of each individual goal

Carbon efficiency evaluation:an analytical framework using fuzzy DEA

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a powerful analytical technique for measuring the relative efficiency of alternatives based on their inputs and outputs. The alternatives can be in the form of countries who attempt to enhance their productivity and environmental efficiencies concurrently. However, when desirable outputs such as productivity increases, undesirable outputs increase as well (e.g. carbon emissions), thus making the performance evaluation questionable. In addition, traditional environmental efficiency has been typically measured by crisp input and output (desirable and undesirable). However, the input and output data, such as CO2 emissions, in real-world evaluation problems are often imprecise or ambiguous. This paper proposes a DEA-based framework where the input and output data are characterized by symmetrical and asymmetrical fuzzy numbers. The proposed method allows the environmental evaluation to be assessed at different levels of certainty. The validity of the proposed model has been tested and its usefulness is illustrated using two numerical examples. An application of energy efficiency among 23 European Union (EU) member countries is further presented to show the applicability and efficacy of the proposed approach under asymmetric fuzzy numbers

Multiobjective strategies for New Product Development in the pharmaceutical industry

New Product Development (NPD) constitutes a challenging problem in the pharmaceutical industry, due to the characteristics of the development pipeline. Formally, the NPD problem can be stated as follows: select a set of R&D projects from a pool of candidate projects in order to satisfy several criteria (economic profitability, time to market) while coping with the uncertain nature of the projects. More precisely, the recurrent key issues are to determine the projects to develop once target molecules have been identified, their order and the level of resources to assign. In this context, the proposed approach combines discrete event stochastic simulation (Monte Carlo approach) with multiobjective genetic algorithms (NSGAII type, Non-Sorted Genetic Algorithm II) to optimize the highly combinatorial portfolio management problem. In that context, Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are particularly attractive for treating this kind of problem, due to their ability to directly lead to the so-called Pareto front and to account for the combinatorial aspect. This work is illustrated with a study case involving nine interdependent new product candidates targeting three diseases. An analysis is performed for this test bench on the different pairs of criteria both for the bi- and tricriteria optimization: large portfolios cause resource queues and delays time to launch and are eliminated by the bi- and tricriteria optimization strategy. The optimization strategy is thus interesting to detect the sequence candidates. Time is an important criterion to consider simultaneously with NPV and risk criteria. The order in which drugs are released in the pipeline is of great importance as with scheduling problems

Multiobjective strategies for New Product Development in the pharmaceutical industry

New Product Development (NPD) constitutes a challenging problem in the pharmaceutical industry, due to the characteristics of the development pipeline. Formally, the NPD problem can be stated as follows: select a set of R&D projects from a pool of candidate projects in order to satisfy several criteria (economic profitability, time to market) while coping with the uncertain nature of the projects. More precisely, the recurrent key issues are to determine the projects to develop once target molecules have been identified, their order and the level of resources to assign. In this context, the proposed approach combines discrete event stochastic simulation (Monte Carlo approach) with multiobjective genetic algorithms (NSGAII type, Non-Sorted Genetic Algorithm II) to optimize the highly combinatorial portfolio management problem. In that context, Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are particularly attractive for treating this kind of problem, due to their ability to directly lead to the so-called Pareto front and to account for the combinatorial aspect. This work is illustrated with a study case involving nine interdependent new product candidates targeting three diseases. An analysis is performed for this test bench on the different pairs of criteria both for the bi- and tricriteria optimization: large portfolios cause resource queues and delays time to launch and are eliminated by the bi- and tricriteria optimization strategy. The optimization strategy is thus interesting to detect the sequence candidates. Time is an important criterion to consider simultaneously with NPV and risk criteria. The order in which drugs are released in the pipeline is of great importance as with scheduling problems

Uncertain Multi-Criteria Optimization Problems

Most real-world search and optimization problems naturally involve multiple criteria as objectives. Generally, symmetry, asymmetry, and anti-symmetry are basic characteristics of binary relationships used when modeling optimization problems. Moreover, the notion of symmetry has appeared in many articles about uncertainty theories that are employed in multi-criteria problems. Different solutions may produce trade-offs (conflicting scenarios) among different objectives. A better solution with respect to one objective may compromise other objectives. There are various factors that need to be considered to address the problems in multidisciplinary research, which is critical for the overall sustainability of human development and activity. In this regard, in recent decades, decision-making theory has been the subject of intense research activities due to its wide applications in different areas. The decision-making theory approach has become an important means to provide real-time solutions to uncertainty problems. Theories such as probability theory, fuzzy set theory, type-2 fuzzy set theory, rough set, and uncertainty theory, available in the existing literature, deal with such uncertainties. Nevertheless, the uncertain multi-criteria characteristics in such problems have not yet been explored in depth, and there is much left to be achieved in this direction. Hence, different mathematical models of real-life multi-criteria optimization problems can be developed in various uncertain frameworks with special emphasis on optimization problems

Improved two-phase solution strategy for multiobjective fuzzy stochastic linear programming problems with uncertain probability distribution

Multiobjective Fuzzy Stochastic Linear Programming (MFSLP) problem where the linear inequalities on the probability are fuzzy is called a Multiobjective Fuzzy Stochastic Linear Programming problem with Fuzzy Linear Partial Information on Probability Distribution (MFSLPPFI). The uncertainty presents unique difficulties in constrained optimization problems owing to the presence of conflicting goals and randomness surrounding the data. Most existing solution techniques for MFSLPPFI problems rely heavily on the expectation optimization model, the variance minimization model, the probability maximization model, pessimistic/optimistic values and compromise solution under partial uncertainty of random parameters. Although these approaches recognize the fact that the interval values for probability distribution have important significance, nevertheless they are restricted by the upper and lower limitations of probability distribution and neglected the interior values. This limitation motivated us to search for more efficient strategies for MFSLPPFI which address both the fuzziness of the probability distributions, and the fuzziness and randomness of the parameters. The proposed strategy consists two phases: fuzzy transformation and stochastic transformation. First, ranking function is used to transform the MFSLPPFI to Multiobjective Stochastic Linear Programming Problem with Fuzzy Linear Partial Information on Probability Distribution (MSLPPFI). The problem is then transformed to its corresponding Multiobjective Linear Programming (MLP) problem by using a-cut technique of uncertain probability distribution and linguistic hedges. In addition, Chance Constraint Programming (CCP), and expectation of random coefficients are applied to the constraints and the objectives respectively. Finally, the MLP problem is converted to a single-objective Linear Programming (LP) problem via an Adaptive Arithmetic Average Method (AAAM), and then solved by using simplex method. The algorithm used to obtain the solution requires fewer iterations and faster generation of results compared to existing solutions. Three realistic examples are tested which show that the approach used in this study is efficient in solving the MFSLPPFI

An overview of fuzzy techniques in supply chain management: bibliometrics, methodologies, applications and future directions

Every practice in supply chain management (SCM) requires decision making. However, due to the complexity of evaluated objects and the cognitive limitations of individuals, the decision information given by experts is often fuzzy, which may make it difficult to make decisions. In this regard, many scholars applied fuzzy techniques to solve decision making problems in SCM. Although there were review papers about either fuzzy methods or SCM, most of them did not use bibliometrics methods or did not consider fuzzy sets theory-based techniques comprehensively in SCM. In this paper, for the purpose of analyzing the advances of fuzzy techniques in SCM, we review 301 relevant papers from 1998 to 2020. By the analyses in terms of bibliometrics, methodologies and applications, publication trends, popular methods such as fuzzy MCDM methods, and hot applications such as supplier selection, are found. Finally, we propose future directions regarding fuzzy techniques in SCM. It is hoped that this paper would be helpful for scholars and practitioners in the field of fuzzy decision making and SCM