一种考虑供应商转换成本的多期供应商选择模型

为解决供应链中多期多种产品的供应商选择问题,对现有的供应商选择模型进行了改进,综合考虑供应商供应能力、交货提前期等限制,以及供应商转换成本、交易成本和批量库存成本对供应商选择方案的影响,建立了混合整数规划模型,以确定每个时期每种产品的最优供应商选择方案及供应量,并通过实际算例验证了模型的有效性。     

A survey on pickup and delivery problems

This paper is the second part of a comprehensive survey on routing problems involving pickups and deliveries. Basically, two problem classes can be distinguished. The first part dealt with the transportation of goods from the depot to linehaul customers and from backhaul customers to the depot. The second part now considers all those problems where goods are transported between pickup and delivery locations, denoted as Vehicle Routing Problems with Pickups and Deliveries (VRPPD). These are the Pickup and Delivery Vehicle Routing Problem (PDVRP – unpaired pickup and delivery points), the classical Pickup and Delivery Problem (PDP – paired pickup and delivery points), and the Dial-A-Ride Problem (DARP – passenger transportation between paired pickup and delivery points and user inconvenience taken into consideration). Single as well as multi vehicle mathematical problem formulations for all three VRPPD types are given, and the respective exact, heuristic, and metaheuristic solution methods are discussed.      

On the design of cooperative vendors’ networks in retail food supply chains: a logistics-driven approach

This paper explores the impact of the adoption of a cooperative approach on retail food supply chains, whose performances are strongly affected by the daily planning of deliveries from vendors. This approach requires a horizontal communication among vendors, and might result in minimising the overall transport costs. Nevertheless, the proper trade-off between costs and return is hard to be foreseen. Building on existing studies, this paper investigates the benefits and the opportunities deriving from the vendors’ collaboration on the delivery process. We provide a decision support tool using an integer linear programming model to explore in a what-if multi-scenario analysis the trade-off between competitive and cooperative delivery regimes. The distribution of order release and fleet availability couple with the geography of the network, allowing for the identification of thresholds of mutual convenience in shifting from a competitive to a cooperative regime. Our methodology, applied to a case study from a regional retailer supply chain, highlights evident benefits, which are sometimes up to 40% of the overall costs, for the retailer, the carriers, and the vendors. Furthermore, accounting for those costs, the tool identifies, for a given supply chain, who actually gains from the collaboration and what those gains are.     

Business ethics: the materiel/manufacturing perspective

The discussion of purchasing practices and product integrity, which have ethical implications for materiel/manufacturing management, serves to illustrate how routine decisions can have larger implications for the firm as a whole. Management needs to take a proactive role in confronting ethical issues by (1) demonstrating a corporate commitment to sound ethics in business practices, (2) providing written policies where appropriate to provide a basis for sound ethical conducts, (3) educating various functional areas to understand their responsibility in seeming unrelated ethical problems, (4) delegating authority in ethical issues where such issues are considered in decision making, and (5) fostering interfunctional communication as a means in establishing corporatewide responsibility. The basic philosophical principles of JIT serve as a blueprint for recognizing and managing ethical responsibility. The unexpected by-products of a JIT implementation may be vendor/customer good will and an excellent reputation for the firm.     

基于集对分析的第三方物流供应商选择模型

第三方物流在增强企业核心竞争力、提高增值服务水平、降低物流成本、优化内外资源等方面都起着不可替代的作用，但这些作用能否得“充分发挥很大程度上取决于物流供应商的水平和实力，能否选择好第三方物流供应商成为企业业务外包成败的关键。本文借鉴一种新的系统分析理论——集对分析理论对物流供应商进行分析评价。克服了传统选择方法的弊端．能够为企业选择第三方物流供应商提供客观依据。     

Making consignment- and vendor-managed inventory work for you

This article will examine some of the benefits of vendor managed inventory (VMI) and consignment from a supplier's perspective. Indeed, there are benefits to both approaches, as well as costs and risks. By understanding and managing the costs, and controlling the risks through careful negotiations, one can make both consignment and VMI work not only for the customer, but for the supplier as well.     

Differences Between Clients’ and Vendors’ Perceptions of IT Outsourcing Risks: Project Partnering as the Mitigation Approach

Information technology (IT) outsourcing has been a business practice for more than two decades. Researchers have suggested successful risk management as a key factor in successful IT outsourcing projects implementation. The documented investigations, however, have mainly addressed risk management only from a single perspective of either clients or IT vendors. Considering only one perspective allows for an omission of possible risks considered critical by the other party, as suggested by agency theory. This study explored the potential perception inconsistency regarding the risks between the client and the vendor for IT outsourcing projects by using a quasi‐Delphi approach. The analysis results indicated some inconsistencies in the risks perceived by the two parties: (1) the clients regarded (a) lack of vendor commitment to the project and (b) poor vendor selection criteria and process as top critical risks but the vendors didn't; and (2) on the other hand, the vendors perceived (a) unclear requirements and (b) lack of experience and expertise with project activities as significant risks but the clients didn't. Insights into how the client and the vendor perceive risks may help both parties determine how to partner and manage project risks collaboratively to succeed in outsourcing.     

The production performance benefits from JIT implementation

The intense competition in the current marketplace has forced firms to reexamine their methods of doing business. The US manufacturers have struggled with growing trade deficits and outsourced operations, while strong market competitors have emerged, using superior manufacturing practices in the form of just-in-time (JIT) and continuous process improvement. Although proponents cite the many benefits of JIT adoption, its implementation rate in the US has been relatively conservative. This study uses survey responses from executives at 95 JIT-practicing firms to better understand the benefits that firms have experienced through JIT adoption, and whether a more comprehensive implementation is worthwhile. The research results demonstrate that implementing the quality, continuous improvement, and waste reduction practices embodied in the JIT philosophy can enhance firm competitiveness. JIT implementation improves performance through lower inventory levels, reduced quality costs, and greater customer responsiveness. This study indicates that JIT is a vital manufacturing strategy to build and sustain competitive advantage.     

基于Arena的随机需求和随机提前期二级库存仿真优化

讨论了由一个供应商和多个经销商组成的二级库存优化问题,该系统中每个经销商的客户需求以及供应商和经销商的订货提前期都是随机的,供应商和每个经销商都采用(T,s,S)混合策略进行库存管理。首先建立了该二级库存系统优化问题的数学模型,然后设计了解决该问题的仿真流程并基于仿真软件Arena建立了仿真模型,通过对由一个供应商和三个经销商所组成的二级库存系统的仿真实验表明,利用计算机仿真方法能够很好地解决随机需求和随机提前期的二级库存系统优化问题,其所得结果更贴近实际系统。     

供应链不确定条件下制造商库存模型研究

文章是在供应和需求具有不确定性条件下研究供应链中的核心企业即制造商的最优库存量的确定。文章引入基于奖惩制度的协同机制模型来协调制造商和销售商之同的关系。销售商实行JIT方式采购，要求制造商能及时响应需求的变化，需求假设为随机需求且服从指数分布，这就需要制造商能保持合理的周转库存来提高自身的柔性。文章采用数学微积分方法进行求解，引入销售商对制造商的奖励系数和惩罚系数，得到一个库存模型，且此模型能使制造商获得最大的期望利润。     

汽车制造行业零部件仓储与配送WPSPI模式研究

汽车制造行业目前普遍采用以主机厂为核心的JIT生产模式,但在JIT模式具体应用的过程中由于种种原因并没有实现在整个供应链内消除库存,大多数情况下只是实现了库存从主机厂向供应链供应商的转移,这种转移无疑增加了供应商的仓储库存成本,鉴于上述情况经过对某大型汽车制造企业上游供应链典型企业的研究,提出了全过程货架托盘一体化物流模式(简称WPSPI,即Whole Process goods Shelf&Pallet Integration模式),该模式旨在减少供应链物流中的包装转换及对仓储设施的购置费用,同时实现整个供应链物流效率的提高和物流成本的降低。     

供应商选择问题的随机机会约束规划模型及其混合遗传算法

在供应商的最大供应数量、质量水平、送达时间均为随机变量且预算给定的条件下,建立了供应商选择问题的随机机会约束整数目标规划模型.鉴于传统方法求解随机规划较为困难,给出了一种将随机模拟、神经元网络和遗传算法结合在一起的混合遗传算法并用多个算例进行了验证,结果表明该算法有较强的适应性.     

A mutually beneficial supply partnership at Columbia Hospital for Women Medical Center

Columbia Hospital's variation of the JIT system to support its repetitive-type surgical procedures performed by the L&D and OR departments has proven to be the right system for this specialty care hospital to ensure that the right product at the right price is available at the right place and time. This system established by the cooperative efforts of the three partners involved (the hospital, manufacturer, and distributor) has been a win-win system for all. The manufacturer and distributor receive a profitable return for their products and services, and the hospital receives reimbursement for the products it utilizes to provide quality care to its ultimate customer, the patient. Columbia's supply flow system, as described herein, is a creative example of the many variations of the stockless or JIT supply systems being established in the world of hospital materiel management today.     

基于供应链的准时化采购方式在制造企业中的应用研究

文中针对我国制造型企业采购管理现状,对传统采购模式进行分析,发现其中的问题所在,并基于供应链管理环境,将流行的准时化采购模式引入企业物流系统中,分析其优点及与传统采购模式的区别。通过上海通用汽车有限公司的案例说明着重探讨制造企业如何采用准时化采购方式,以解决现存问题,达到降低成本、提高效率的目的。     

Just-in-time in the infrastructure

We know that just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing is a set of philosophies, not a set of techniques. These same philosophies are embraced by the total quality management (TQM) school. The most important element of this philosophy is that of continuous improvement--the acceptance of constantly changing objectives as a departure from reliance on standard requirements. This fundamental concept drives other philosophical aspects such as improving utilization of resources (employee involvement, reduction of waste) and long-term success (customer focus, vendor partnerships). Clearly, these philosophies are applicable to all organizations and functions. Perhaps some of these philosophies are manifest by certain JIT principles that we might consider when we design organizational routines and practices. Why not apply what has been proven in the factory to the seemingly bureaucratic behaviors in the office.     

The sociology of a market analysis tool: How industry analysts sort vendors and organize markets

The information technology (IT) marketplace appears to be shaped by new kinds of specialist industry analysts that link technology supply and use through offering a commodified form of knowledge and advice. We focus on the work of one such organisation, the Gartner Group, and with how it produces a market analysis tool called the ‘Magic Quadrant’. Widely circulated amongst the IT community, the device compares and sorts vendors according to a number of more or less intangible properties (such as vendor ‘competence’ and ‘vision’). Given that potential adopters of IT systems are drawn to assess the reputation and likely behaviour of vendors, these tools play an important role in mediating choice during procurement. Our interest is in understanding how such objects are constructed as well as how they wield influence. We draw on the recent ‘performativity’ debate in Economic Sociology and the Sociology of Finance to show how Magic Quadrants are not simply describing but reshaping aspects of the IT arena. Importantly, in sketching this sociology of a market analysis tool, we also attend to the contested nature of the Magic Quadrant. Whilst Gartner attempt to establish this device as an ‘impartial’ and ‘legitimate’ arbiter of vendor performance, it is often viewed sceptically on the grounds that industry analysts are not always independent of the vendors they are assessing. Paradoxically these devices remain influential despite these sceptical assessments.     

Sourcing Decisions with Capacity Reservations under Supply Disruptions

Firms employing both offshore outsourcing and nearshore sourcing strategies may face supply disruption, demand uncertainty, and quality risks simultaneously. Sourcing decisions become inevitably important and complicated when both profit and the customer-service level are taken into consideration. In this paper, we model a scenario where a manufacturer who faces stochastic demand procures major modules from an overseas supplier and two local suppliers. The overseas supplier offers quality products while being susceptible to disruption risks; if the local suppliers, who are completely reliable and serve as a backup, offer products that are of inferior quality, it may result in lower market acceptance and a bad experience for the final customers. The manufacturer has to reserve capacity with backup suppliers before urgent orders are placed, when the primary source experiences a shortfall. We explicitly derive the manufacturer’s optimal order quantities and reservation quantities, which are functions of the heterogeneous suppliers’ wholesale prices, reservation prices, and other parameters. The impacts of the fill-rate constraint and customer-experience quality constraint on the manufacturer’s purchasing decisions are investigated. Interesting managerial insights on the merits of backup sourcing with capacity reservations for managing demand uncertainties and supply disruption risks are also discussed.     

Mini/micro computer evaluation of system features: An empirical discriminant model of software and hardware expandability,compatibility, cost-efficiency,installation and delivery

The rapid advances in technology with declining costs of hardware is expected to widen the market for computers. One of the interesting balances for vendors to achieve is keeping users happy with increases in price performance, usually with lower unit costs. One way to achieve this objective is by satisfying users and meeting their needs. Users have many different needs, however, and it may be very difficult to prioritize them since many of the needs are partially mutually exclusive. For example, the promotion of one need, low response time, would be at the expense of another need, low cost. Therefore, mini/micro vendors and users could use a model that will prioritize needs and measure how satisfied users are with specific computer systems as compared to others. Similarly, the same information may be very useful to current and future computer users for system selection. Accordingly, the main purpose of the present study is to provide vendors and users of mini/micro computers with a discriminant model. This model classifies correctly 93% of the successful systems. Thus it can be used for system selection by users and for system design by vendors.     

Household production, full consumption and the costs of children

Recent work criticises both the logic and relevance of the theoretical basis of the approach to estimating the costs of raising children adopted in much of the economics literature. This tends to be restricted purely to models in which the household members consume market goods with given household income. The “costs of children” are perceived essentially as market consumption costs. This ignores the fact that an important, possibly preponderant element of child costs takes the form of parental time, which must be diverted from alternative uses such as market work, other household production activities, and leisure, to care for children. The studies also ignore the question of the differential incidence of child costs on adult members of the household. In this paper, we first of all argue that a satisfactory theoretical approach to modelling child costs must simultaneously incorporate an “individualistic” formulation of the household and a formal treatment of household production. We then provide such a model. Using data from a time use survey we estimate specialised versions of the model for families with two children and use the results to derive the intra-family distribution of resources and implied child-rearing costs.