Performance Effects Related to the Sequence of Integration of Healthcare Technologies

There is a natural order to most events in life: Everything from learning to read to DNA sequences in molecular biology follows some predetermined, structured methodology that has been refined to yield improved results. Likewise, it would seem that firms could benefit by adopting and implementing technologies in some logical way so as to increase their overall performance. In this study of 555 hospitals, we investigate the order in which medical technologies are transformed into information technologies through a process of converting them from stand‐alone technologies to interoperable, integrated information systems and whether certain configurations of sequences of integration yield additional value. We find that sequence does matter and that hospitals that integrated foundational technologies first—which in this case are known to be more complex—tend to perform better. Theoretical and practical implications of this finding and others are discussed.     

Prioritizing lean supply chain management initiatives in healthcare service operations: a fuzzy AHP approach

The objective of this study is to investigate the perceptions of practitioners/experts about the prioritisation of healthcare performance measures and their relationship with lean supply chain management (LSCM) practices. The study will also prioritise the drivers and resources required to implement LSCM in a healthcare operations context. The prioritisation is based on the relative weights of various initiatives on a range of performance measures. Twenty-four LSCM initiatives were identified using a comprehensive literature review. Q-sort method was used to divide those initiatives into four categories. Fuzzy AHP was then used to prioritise the four categories based on relative weight of importance of each category on three different performance dimensions. The result shows that continuous improvement is a dominating LSCM initiative in increasing operational and financial performance, while enterprise alignment/integration is a dominating initiative in enhancing organisational image and operational performance. However, lack of homogeneity among LSCM initiatives suggests that there is a need for careful consideration when implementing them in healthcare organisations. Furthermore, customer needs and the influence of competitor’s actions are the most important drivers to encourage hospitals to adopt an LSCM strategy. This is one of the first studies to examine the prioritisation and ranking of LSCM constructs on performance within the context of the healthcare industry.     

Linking Process Quality and Resource Usage: An Empirical Analysis

Motivated by an increasing adoption of evidence‐based medical guidelines in the delivery of medical care, we examine whether increased adherence to such guidelines (typically referred to as higher process quality) is associated with reduced resource usage in the course of patient treatment. In this study, we develop a sample of US hospitals and use cardiac care as our context to empirically examine our questions. To measure a patient's resource usage, we use the total length of stay, which includes any additional inpatient stay necessitated by unplanned readmissions within thirty days after initial hospitalization. We find evidence that higher process quality, and more specifically its clinical (as opposed to its administrative) dimensions, are associated with a reduction in resource usage. Moreover, the standardization of care that is achieved via the implementation of medical guidelines, makes this effect more pronounced in less focused environments: higher process quality is more beneficial when the cardiac department's patient population is distributed across a wider range of medical conditions. We explore the implications of these findings for process‐oriented pay‐for‐performance programs, which tie the reimbursement of hospitals to their adherence to evidence‐based medical guidelines.     

含交付时间不确定性的供应链协调策略研究

分析含有交付时间不确定性的季节性供应链管理问题.如果在供应链中共享供应商的交付时间不确定性信息,零售商可以调整订货量,减少销售损失,就有可能提高供应链的整体利润.分析指出,当交付时间不确定性程度大时,信息共享能提高改进供应链绩效的可能性,但不一定能提高供应链的整体绩效,因而,仅仅采用信息共享有应用价值,但有一定的局限性.进一步分析发现,存在能协调这种含有交付时间不确定性供应链策略,能使供应链达到整体绩效最大化,并且对供应链的利润进行分配,协调策略能有效地弥补信息共享的局限性.     

不确定性环境下不同补货策略的供应链契约协调研究

针对产出和需求不确定性导致的残值或补货问题,考虑单个制造商和零售商所组成的双边随机供应链,双方采取事前订单形式,构建两种不同现货市场补货策略模型,研究随机环境下最优原材料投入量-成品订货量决策行为及供应链协调。研究表明：零售商自行补货时,收益共享合同不能分担上游产出不确定性风险,制造商为避免产出过剩会减小投入量导致合同失效,但融合了缺货惩罚-余货补偿双向机制的收益共享契约能够进行有效协调。当由制造商补货时,现货市场降低了产出不确定性风险且提高了系统产出投入比,并能重新使收益共享契约生效。此外,有效契约协调后的各方收益均为系统最优收益的仿射函数,并由协商后的收益共享比例控制着分配系数。理论分析和数值仿真说明了合同协调的有效性。算例分析还发现,设计的收益共享风险共担契约相比单一的收益共享契约能够更好地降低不确定性对收益的影响。     

社会控制与供应链绩效的相互作用关系探讨——以依赖及供应链整合为中介

供应链各节点企业彼此相互依赖，这种依赖关系如何为管理者所利用，并借助适当的关系治理来促进互惠互利的依赖关系的建立，进而提升供应链整体竞争力具有重要的战略意义。本文拟以社会控制机制和依赖为切入点，探讨其与供应链整合和供应链绩效的深层作用机理，并进而运用结构方程模型（SEM）对社会控制、依赖和供应链整合对绩效的作用路径进行实践模拟。实证结果表明，1）社会控制对依赖、供应链整合和供应链绩效有显著的正向促进作用；2）依赖在社会控制对供应链整合的作用关系中起着不完全的中介作用，且间接作用大于直接作用；3）社会控制可以通过依赖、供应链整合及二者的因果关系间接作用于供应链绩效，但是依赖的中介效应最大（44%），依赖和供应链整合的因果关系中介效应次之（37%），整合的中介效应最小（19%）；4）规模对社会控制/依赖与供应链整合/供应链绩效的作用关系具有调节效应。     

基于决策者风险规避特性的供应链需求信息共享价值分析

在随机需求条件下,利用条件风险估值(conditional value-at-risk,CVaR)的风险度量准则建立了供应链的需求信息共享决策模型,着重分析了零售商的风险规避程度以及市场需求的不确定性信息对供应链各决策者以及供应链整体信息共享价值的影响。研究结果表明,需求信息共享价值与零售商的风险规避程度、市场不确定性大小以及市场不确定信息所预测的市场需求变化情况有关。数值分析结果表明,零售商越害怕市场的不确定性风险,需求信息共享越有利于提升分散供应链的运作效率;但当市场信息反映出未来的市场需求是消极且零售商接近风险中性时,供应链的需求信息共享价值反而小于零,此时没有进行信息共享的必要。     

基于看跌期权契约的应急物资采购储备模型

应急物资具有峰值需求量大,需求不确定性强,缺货成本高等特点,这使得政府必须在事前进行一定数量的物资储备。然而,由于应急物资需求的发生概率较低,针对食品药品等一类具有保质期限的物资,一旦在保质期限内需求未发生,则会造成大量的浪费与损失,加重政府的财政负担。虽然传统供应链中的回购契约可使政府将剩余物资回售给供应方,能够在一定程度上降低政府成本,但是供应方并没有因承担多余风险而获取到额外收益。基于此,本文设计了一种基于看跌期权契约的应急物资采购储备模型,用于解决保质期风险而引发的损失问题,并分析了实现政企供应链协调的机制,探讨了双方实现共赢协调的具体条件。此外,本文进一步表明与回购契约相比,基于看跌期权契约所建立的采购储备模式能够在降低政府成本的同时,合理地补偿供应方因承担多余风险而造成的损失,更好地保障了供应方的利益,达到了政府和供应方双赢的目的。     

评估供货量信息的共享在供应链管理中的价值

本文衡量了一种共享供货量信息的信息策略-即供应商向其客户(下游厂商)发布每次供货的具体数量,并通过数学建模以及模拟对此问题进行分析。结果显示,在大多数情况下,这种由信息技术支持的策略有助于供应链中的厂商适应并解决供货量不稳定的问题,供货量越是不稳定,企业越是能够从中获益。但是,当供应商及时稳定地补足缺货时,这种受益并不明显。本文的另一个发现是,供货量信息的共享可以使信息获得者受益,但是可能并不有利于发布者。也就是说,这样的信息共享能够为供应商的客户带来好处,但是供应商本身并不能因此获得显著的额外利益,反而要承担实施成本。这种不对称可能会阻碍企业间信息系统的实施,从而促使供应链成员协调信息沟通的费用,以激励供应商发布信息。我们的研究提供了对供货量信息价值进行量化的途径,同时也能够帮助供应链中的厂商评估他们在信息系统建设中的成本-收益率。     

广义ATO下基于多种团购模型的供应链协调

针对由多个供应商、单个制造商和零售商所组成的广义按订单装配式供应链，在上游多个供应商不确定的零部件（或商品）供应以及下游客户不确定的需求的环境下，首先分析基本模型中团购前后的零售商和制造商的利润变化，然后提出了团购的标准模型和协调模型，并比较三种不同的团购模型对各成员以及全局供应链绩效的影响。通过数学推导证明和仿真数据算例分析，结果表明：零售商自发的团购基本模型总是对制造商有利，而对零售商的好处是有限的；由制造商主导的团购标准模型在满足一定条件时是优于团购基本模型的，但有使得零售商甚至制造商自身受到损失的可能；而集中决策下的团购协调模型能够提升全局供应链的期望利润，实现渠道的帕累托改善，但协调的效果会受到团购客户组成结构的限制。     

需求不确定下制造商服务投入影响销售的供应链信息共享与激励

针对需求不确定环境下制造商既提供产品也提供相关服务时产品服务供应链中的信息共享与激励问题,考虑零售商拥有需求预测信息且可选择共享任意水平的信息量,通过构建不完全信息下的动态博弈模型,分析了零售商信息共享水平、制造商服务效率以及消费者服务敏感性对服务价值和信息共享价值的影响,并提出了基于两部补偿契约的信息共享激励策略。研究表明：需求信息共享能够有效提升整个供应链的服务价值;当制造商服务效率或者消费者服务敏感性较高时,信息共享的服务改善效应将占优于其双边际效应,零售商会自愿共享全部需求信息并达到供应链"双赢";而当制造商服务效率或者消费者服务敏感性较低时,采用两部补偿激励契约可实现产品服务供应链中的完全信息共享,并且契约实施难度会随着零售商需求预测精度、制造商服务效率以及消费者服务敏感性的提高而降低。     

The healthcare supply network: current state of the literature and research opportunities

Abstract

This literature review maps recent studies addressing supply chain management (SCM) in the healthcare sector through a systematic approach that synthesises 74 empirical studies (2006–2016). Our approach adopts a network lens to map the literature and offers key contributions to the field. First, we show that there is a lack of network level studies. Second, there is an imbalance of research attention regarding the various types of supply, namely health services, medicines, medical supplies and blood supply. Third, we underline the advantages of the network lens, indicating network actors and flows between those actors that need further research. Fourth, we show an alarming lack of theoretical lens in healthcare SCM studies and draw attention to the fact that even when explicitly adopting a theory, some studies show inconsistencies between theoretical lens and level of analysis. Ultimately, we offer a map of future research for healthcare SCM through a network lens in order to improve the understanding the complexities of the healthcare sector.     

灾后不确定需求下应急医疗移动医院鲁棒选址问题研究

我国灾害医学救援主要采用"现场救治"模式，应急医疗移动医院的选址是否合理直接影响救援效率，但各受灾点伤员数量的不确定性增加了决策的困难。本文引入多面体不确定集合刻画伤员数量的不确定性，同时考虑伤员分类及移动医院分型，构建一个以伤员总生存概率最大化为目标的鲁棒选址模型。利用鲁棒优化理论，将模型转化为等价的混合整数规划问题，通过GAMS软件编程并调用CPLEX求解器求解。最后，以四川芦山地震应急医疗救援为例，验证模型和求解方法的可行性和鲁棒性。结果表明，扰动比例和不确定水平对移动医院的选址和伤员的分配方案有显著影响，决策者可根据自己对不确定性风险的偏好程度选择最佳的扰动比例和不确定水平组合，以获得最优的选址分配方案。     

Supply chain relationship quality and its impact on firm performance

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of supply chain relationship quality (SCRQ) on firm performance (FP) through the mediators of supply chain management processes (SCMP) and supply chain performance (SCP). In the literature, these linkages have been examined separately; in contrast, this study takes a holistic perspective on the antecedents of FP. The model was tested using survey data from manufacturing companies. Variance-based structural equation modelling revealed that both SCMP and SCP lead to FP, unlike SCRQ. On the other hand, SCRQ affects SCMP. Drawing on the resource-based view, consistency in SCRQ can lead to not only efficient and effective supply chain management but also improvements in FP and SCP. This research has practical implications, providing supply chain decision makers with insights on enhancing FP. Supply chain decision makers will be able to benefit from the findings of our study by improving supply chain relationships with supply chain members and ensuring FP. This research also highlights how effective management of SCRQ, SCMP and SCP can provide better FP and a competitive advantage.     

Value of Information in Closed Loop Supply Chains

We explore the value of information (VOI) in the context of a firm that faces uncertainty with respect to demand, product return, and product recovery (yield). The operational decision of interest in matching supply with demand is the quantity of new product to order. Our objective is to evaluate the VOI from reducing one or more types of uncertainties, where value is measured by the reduction in total expected holding and shortage costs. We start with a single period model with normally distributed demands and returns, and restrict the analysis to the value of full information (VOFI) on one or more types of uncertainty. We develop estimators that are predictive of the value and sensitivity of (combinations of) different information types. We find that there is no dominance in value amongst the different types of information, and that there is an additional pay‐off from investing in more than one type. We then extend our analysis to the multi‐period case, where returns in a period are correlated with demands in the previous period, and study the value of partial information (VOPI) as well as full information. We demonstrate that our results from the single period model (adapted for VOPI) carry‐over exactly. Furthermore, a comparison with uniformly distributed demand and return show that these results are robust with respect to distributional assumptions.     

有限需求信息下基于回购契约的供应链鲁棒协调策略

研究了仅知需求均值和区间信息条件下,基于最小最大后悔值准则的供应链回购契约协调问题。针对未知需求具体分布形式的两级供应链系统,在回购契约框架下,建立了以鲁棒决策和最优决策下的供应链及其成员绩效之差为目标函数的供应链协调模型。在仅知需求区间和均值信息条件下,采用鲁棒优化方法求解了最小最大后悔值准则下的集成供应链鲁棒订货策略和分散供应链鲁棒契约协调策略及其绩效偏差。分析了不同服务水平和契约参数条件下,由于信息缺失而未能实现最优运作的供应链及其成员绩效损失情况。最后,进行了数值计算,验证了通过鲁棒优化方法得到的供应链回购契约协调策略的鲁棒性和有效性。结果表明,基于回购契约的供应链鲁棒协调策略能够有效抑制需求不确定性对系统及其成员运作绩效的影响,同仅知需求区间信息相比,额外获得需求均值信息能够有效改进供应链运作绩效。     

考虑退货风险的制造商双渠道供应链定价决策研究

针对事前不确定性导致的退货问题,从消费者行为出发,建立考虑定价差异和退货风险双重因素的市场需求函数,通过Stackelberg博弈模型研究四种不同市场需求情形在不同定价模式下双渠道供应链的最优决策。在数值仿真部分,对不同情形决策之间比较、供应链收益进行比较分析。研究表明：电子渠道销售价格与电子渠道的市场基本需求成正比,批发价和传统渠道销售价格与传统渠道的市场基本需求成正比,实体店体验服务水平和传统渠道的市场基本需求的关系（线性关系）则根据某些条件而定;退货风险对供应链决策的影响与定价模式、市场需求影响因素相关;制造商偏好于定价不相等模式,零售商偏好于定价相等模式;退货风险与定价差异对供应链成员收益的影响与定价模式相关,对整体供应链收益的影响与定价模式和退货率大小有关。     

基于信任的供应预测信息共享策略

现实中供应不确定是比较普遍的现象，供应预测信息共享对改善供应链绩效起着重要作用。针对由一个制造商和一个零售商组成的单周期供应链，利用斯坦克尔伯格博弈方法研究信任对供应预测信息共享的影响以及回购契约对该供应链的协调作用。研究表明：零售商对制造商的信任影响供应预测信息共享效果，进而影响供应链绩效；制造商说谎的心理负效用系数越大，越倾向于说真话；回购契约可以促进制造商共享真实供应预测信息；当制造商说谎的心理负效用系数较大时，存在一个最佳的回购价格，使供应链实现完美协调。     

Strategic Sourcing in the Presence of Uncertain Supply and Retail Competition

This study develops an analytical model to evaluate competing retail firms' sourcing strategies in the presence of supply uncertainty. We consider a common supplier that sells its uncertain supply to two downstream retail firms engaging in price competition in a horizontally differentiated product market. The focal firm has a dual‐sourcing option, while the rival firm can only source from the common supplier. We assess the system‐wide effects of supply uncertainty on the focal firm's incentive to pursue the dual‐sourcing strategy. We find that the focal firm's dual‐sourcing strategy can create a win–win situation that leads to increased retail prices and expected profits for both firms. Furthermore, under certain conditions, we show that it is beneficial for the focal firm to strategically source from the common supplier, even if its alternative supplier offers a lower wholesale price. Overall, we identify two types of incentives for adopting the dual‐sourcing strategy: the incentive of mitigating supply risk through supplier diversification and the incentive of strategic sourcing for more effective retail competition.     

Eco-efficient supply chain networks: development of a design framework and application to a real case study

This paper presents a supply chain network design framework that is based on multi-objective mathematical programming and that can identify ‘eco-efficient’ configuration alternatives that are both efficient and ecologically sound. This work is original in that it encompasses the environmental impact of both transportation and warehousing activities. We apply the proposed framework to a real-life case study (i.e. Lindt & Sprüngli) for the distribution of chocolate products. The results show that cost-driven network optimisation may lead to beneficial effects for the environment and that a minor increase in distribution costs can be offset by a major improvement in environmental performance. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge on eco-efficient supply chain design and closes the missing link between model-based methods and empirical applied research. It also generates insights into the growing debate on the trade-off between the economic and environmental performance of supply chains, supporting organisations in the eco-efficient configuration of their supply chains.