Decentralized Manufacturing Supply Chains Coordination under Uncertain Competitiveness

AbstractThe coordination of decentralized multi-product manufacturing SCs is achieved through negotiations based on expected win-win principles in an uncertain competitive environment. Based on non-symmetrical roles of the different actors, the client (as leader) is supposed to propose coordination contracts according to its best expected conditions, taking into account the uncertain reaction of the provider (follower). This uncertain reaction is modeled as a probability of acceptance, computed according to the overall scenario conditions, which include the presence of 3rd parties. Different negotiation scenarios are analyzed considering cooperative and non-cooperative cases. The resulting MINLP tactical models are illustrated using a case study with different providers (follower SC) around a client (leader SC) interacting in a global decentralized scenario. The negotiations based on non-cooperative cases proves to identify the situation with higher independent profit expectations. Moreover, the proposed approach shows the importance of considering the uncertainty associated with the response of the follower to the leader's decisions, resulting from a wider knowledge of its options

Warehouse Capacities in the Pharmaceutical Industry – Plan or Outsource?

Part 2: Knowledge Discovery and SharingInternational audienceThe pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a change. Different future developments such as the increasing amount of biopharmaceutical products and even stricter regulations increase the need for a reliable long range warehouse capacity planning. Results from a literature analysis indicate that managing these operations will mainly remain the responsibility of the pharmaceutical company itself and may not be outsourced. Hence, the capabilities must be built up within the pharmaceutical companies itself, too. However, none of the models identified in the literature can fulfill all requirements of a reliable and detailed long-range planning process in the pharmaceutical industry. Providing suggestions for further research areas, the paper contributes to the further development of more reliable planning processes