Decentralized subcontractor scheduling with divisible jobs

Subcontracting allows manufacturer agents to reduce completion times of their jobs and thus obtain savings. This paper addresses the coordination of decentralized scheduling systems with a single subcontractor and several agents having divisible jobs. Assuming complete information, we design parametric pricing schemes that strongly coordinate this decentralized system, i.e., the agents’ choices of subcontracting intervals always result in efficient schedules. The subcontractor’s revenue under the pricing schemes depends on a single parameter which can be chosen to make the revenue as close to the total savings as required. Also, we give a lower bound on the subcontractor’s revenue for any coordinating pricing scheme. Allowing private information about processing times, we prove that the pivotal mechanism is coordinating, i.e., agents are better off by reporting their true processing times, and by participating in the subcontracting. We show that the subcontractor’s maximum revenue with any coordinating mechanism under private information equals the lower bound of that with coordinating pricing schemes under complete information. Finally, we address the asymmetric case where agents obtain savings at different rates per unit reduction in completion times. We show that coordinating pricing schemes do not always exist in this case

Modelling for Service Solution of a Closed-Loop Supply Chain with the Presence of Third Party Logistics

Part 5: Smart Production for Mass CustomizationInternational audienceService, the word itself is a big issue in the corporate world. One of the most important parts of the reputation of a company depends how much it can provide service to customers. It is very difficult to maintain especially when it is related to a closed-loop supply chain. Quality of products is also a main factor of business that is known to all. In this model, a closed-loop supply chain with multi-retailer, single-manufacturer and single- third-party collector (3PL) is considered where service and quality issues are maintained throughout the supply chain. The model is solved by a classical optimization method and obtains global solutions in closed and quasi-closed forms. Numerical experiments are done to illustrate the model clearly. Numerical results prove the reality of the model