189 research outputs found

    Supply Chain Management and Management Science: A Successful Marriage

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    The last century has witnessed extant studies on the applications of Management Science (MS) to a diverse set of Supply Chain Management (SCM) issues. This paper provides an overview of the contribution of MS within SCM. A framework is developed in this paper with a sampling of MS contributions to major SCM dimensions. Future research directions are presented

    Warehousing and Inventory Management in Dual Channel and Global Supply Chains

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    More firms are adopting the dual-channel supply chain business model where firms offer their products to customers using dual-channel sales (to offer the item to customers online and offline). The development periods of innovative products have been shortened, especially for high-tech companies, which leads to products with short life cycles. This means that companies need to put their new products on the market as soon as possible. The dual-channel supply chain is a perfect tool to increase the customer’s awareness of new products and to keep customers’ loyalty; firms can offer new products online to the customer faster compared to the traditional retail sales channel. The emergence of dual-channel firms was mainly driven by the expansion in internet use and the advances in information and manufacturing technologies. No existing research has examined inventory strategies, warehouse structure, operations, and capacity in a dual-channel context. Additionally, firms are in need to integrate their global suppliers base; where the lower parts costs compensate for the much higher procurement and cross-border costs; in their supply chain operations. The most common method used to integrate the global supplier base is the use of cross-dock, also known as Third Party Logistic (3PL). This study is motivated by real-world problem, no existing research has considered the optimization of cross-dock operations in terms of dock assignment, storage locations, inventory strategies, and lead time uncertainty in the context of a cross-docking system. In this dissertation, we first study the dual-channel warehouse in the dual-channel supply chain. One of the challenges in running the dual-channel warehouse is how to organize the warehouse and manage inventory to fulfill both online and offline (retailer) orders, where the orders from different channels have different features. A model for a dual-channel warehouse in a dual-channel supply chain is proposed, and a solution approach is developed in the case of deterministic and stochastic lead times. Ending up with numerical examples to highlight the model’s validity and its usefulness as a decision support tool. Second, we extend the first problem to include the global supplier and the cross-border time. The impact of global suppliers and the effect of the cross-border time on the dual-channel warehouse are studied. A cross-border dual-channel warehouse model in a dual-channel supply chain context is proposed. In addition to demand and lead time uncertainty, the cross-border time is included as stochastic parameter. Numerical results and managerial insights are also presented for this problem. Third, motivated by a real-world cross-dock problem, we perform a study at one of the big 3 automotive companies in the USA. The company faces the challenges of optimizing their operations and managing the items in the 3PL when introducing new products. Thus, we investigate a dock assignment problem that considers the dock capacity and storage space and a cross-dock layout. We propose an integrated model to combine the cross-dock assignment problem with cross-dock layout problem so that cross-dock operations can be coordinated effectively. In addition to lead time uncertainty, the cross-border time is included as stochastic parameter. Real case study and numerical results and managerial insights are also presented for this problem highlighting the cross-border effect. Solution methodologies, managerial insights, numerical analysis as well as conclusions and potential future study topics are also provided in this dissertation

    Horizontale en verticale samenwerking in distributieketens met cross-docks

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    Horizontale en verticale samenwerking in distributieketens met cross-docks

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    Evaluation of production control strategies for the co-ordination of work-authorisations and inventory management in lean supply chains

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    A decision support framework is proposed for assisting managers and executives to possibly utilise lean production control strategies to coordinate work authorisations and inventory management in supply chains. The framework allows decision makers to evaluate and compare the suitability of various strategies to their system especially when considering conflicting objectives, such as maximising customer service levels while minimising Work in Process (WIP) in a business environment distressed by variabilities and uncertainties in demand stemmed from customer power. Also, the framework provides decision guidance in selecting and testing optimal solutions of selected policies control parameters. The framework is demonstrated by application to a four-node serial supply-chain operating under three different pull-based supply chain strategies; namely CONWIP, Kanban, and Hybrid Kanban-CONWIP and exhibiting low, medium, and high variability in customer demand (i.e., coefficient of variation of 25%, 112.5%, and 200%). The framework consists of three phases; namely Modelling, Optimisation and Decision Support; and is applicable to both Simulation-Based and Metamodel-Based Optimisation. The Modelling phase includes conceptual modelling, discrete event simulation modelling and metamodels development. The Optimisation phase requires the application of multi-criteria optimisation methods to generate WIP-Service Level trade-off curves. The Curvature and Risk Analysis of the trade-off curves are utilised in the Decision Support phase to provide guidance to the decision maker in selecting and testing the best settings for the control parameters of the system. The inflection point of the curvature function indicates the point at which further increases in Service Level are only achievable by incurring an unacceptably higher cost in terms of average WIP. Risk analysis quantifies the risk associated with designing a supply chain system under specific environmental parameters. This research contributes an efficient framework that is applicable to solve real supply chain problems and better understanding of the potential impacts and expected effectiveness of different pull control mechanisms, and offers valuable insights on future research opportunities in this field to production and supply chain managers

    Cross-docking with vehicle routing problem. A state of art review 1

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    Este artículo presenta una revisión al estado del arte durante los últimos diez años, de la literatura relacionada con las plataformas de intercambio logísticas, denominadas Cross-Docking. Este tipo de sistemas surgen como alternativa para reducir el costo logístico y el tiempo de respuesta al cliente. El objetivo consiste en simplificar algunos procesos tales como almacenamiento y manejo de materiales, a partir de la reducción de períodos de bodegaje y realización de surtida de materiales en los muelles de ingreso y salida de mercancía. En la primera parte, se desarrolla el concepto, su funcionamiento operativo y clasificación. En la segunda parte, se realiza un reporte de los trabajos más relevantes acerca de esta técnica. Posteriormente, se profundiza en este tema y el ruteo de vehículos simultáneos, haciendo énfasis en los métodos de solución, puesto que se trata de un problema de optimización combinatoria, clasificado como de alta complejidad computacional. Al final, se presentan conclusiones y la discusión.This article reviews the state of the art for the last ten years about the literature related to Cross-Docking. The Cross-Docking systems emerge as an alternative to reduce logistics costs and customer response time in some processes such as warehousing and material handling, times by reducing storage and picking, on the docks of inbound and outbound of vehicles. In the first part, the concept of Cross-Docking is developed, also its operating performance and classification. In the second part, a report on the most relevant works is done. Subsequently, it delves into the issue of vehicle routing and Cross-Docking with emphasis on methods of solution, since it is a combinatorial optimization problem classified as NP-hard. The document ends with the conclusions and discussion

    Optimization and Comparison of Manual and Semi-Automated Material Handling in a Cross-Dock Using Discrete-Event Simulation

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    A Cross-Dock (CD) is a synchronized unit of a supply chain network, used to sort the goods received from inbound trucks (from a warehouse or factory), and load those products to outbound trucks (for delivery of the goods to retail stores in the supply chain network). Most cross-docks use forklifts, and other manual material handling equipment (MHE) to process the goods on pallets received from inbound trucks. Those pallets are sorted and loaded onto outbound trucks. With the advancements in robotics, it could be bene cial to employ semi-automated material handling techniques in a CD, rather than solely relying on manual material handling. In this thesis, the scope of self-driving vehicles (SDVs) in one such semi-automated cross-dock facility is studied. We compare the cases of purely manual and semi-automated material handling in a cross-dock. Using simulation, we modelled two cross-dock facilities, one with forklifts only and with a mixture of forklifts and SDVs. Simulation was thus employed to mimic the CD's material handling process, to compare the two MHE con gurations. Then the built cross-dock simulation models were optimized using the response surface methodology and mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP), to achieve the optimal MHE con guration for those facilities operating with the desired levels of performance metrics. Thereby the manual and semi-automated cross-dock with similar performance (and optimal MHE con gurations) are compared and the scope of SDVs in a cross-dock is evaluated. Conclusions are given, and opportunities for further research are presented

    SCM/RSTP integration

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    Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program; and, (S.M. in Transportation)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2005.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Includes bibliographical references (p. 125-131).A systems perspective for regional strategic transportation planning (RSTP) for freight movements involves an understanding of Supply Chain Management (SCM). This thesis argues that private sector freight shippers and carriers do not simply need capacity improvements from the regional transportation system, but also a subtle understanding by public sector planners of their supply chain needs. The private and the public sector have different agendas and planning horizons but at the same time may have common interests in the region that involve economic robustness, environmental health, and social cohesiveness what is known as sustainability. We investigate how the largely public sector RSTP and private-sector SCM relate and suggest architectures for an integrated RSTP/SCM planning process.by Sgouris P. Sgouridis.S.M.in TransportationS.M

    Robust Inventory System Optimization Based on Simulation and Multiple Criteria Decision Making

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    Inventory management in retailers is difficult and complex decision making process which is related to the conflict criteria, also existence of cyclic changes and trend in demand is inevitable in many industries. In this paper, simulation modeling is considered as efficient tool for modeling of retailer multiproduct inventory system. For simulation model optimization, a novel multicriteria and robust surrogate model is designed based on multiple attribute decision making (MADM) method, design of experiments (DOE), and principal component analysis (PCA). This approach as a main contribution of this paper, provides a framework for robust multiple criteria decision making under uncertainty
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