Changing risk preferences in supply chain inventory decisions

The risk preferences of managers may cause their inventory ordering decisions to deviate from the optimal policy. Past studies in operations management have produced mixed results. This study examines this proposition using decision data collected from a supply chain experiment. This article finds that changing the risk preferences of managers with respect to demand changes and supplier failures is a significant behavioural factor in explaining deviations in ordering decisions. This result provides an additional behavioural cause in explaining the bullwhip effect in supply chains. It also provides insights on the challenges for reducing the bullwhip effect in supply chains.     

具备提供服务的供应链博弈分析

考虑在只包含一个供应商和一个零售商的供应链中,用提供给顾客的服务来提升实际需求,以提高供应链的局部或整体效益.但是服务的提供或者由其中一个成员提供,或者由他们共同提供.基于服务提供者的不同,分别研究了在Stackelberg和Nash博弈中供应商和零售商的决策.研究表明,当供应链中有提供给顾客的服务时,在Stackelberg博弈下,供销双方都能从中得到更多的利润;但是在Nash博弈下,服务提供方只有在一定的条件下才能从中受益.当只有一个成员提供服务时,文中给出了一个成员愿意由自己提供服务或愿意让对方提供的条件.得到了两个主要结果:在Stackelberg博弈中,由供应商和零售商共同提供服务对他们来说都是最好的选择;在Nash博弈中,并没有类似的结果,在某些条件下零售商更愿意作Stackel-berg跟从者.     

Revised MRP for reducing inventory level and smoothing order releases: a case in manufacturing industry

Although material requirement planning (MRP) systems are widely used in manufacturing companies, they exhibit significant drawbacks. Rev MRP algorithm has been developed in order to reduce the system nervousness, generate a more regular pattern of order released and lower inventory levels. The aim of this paper is to test the Rev MRP algorithm on the case of one of the largest Italian manufacturing companies of home appliances. The company provided three sets of real data, referring to three different runs of their MRP. Results showed that the Rev MRP outperformed the company’s MRP smoothing the production order releases, eliminating overshoots and drastically reducing the inventory levels along the supply chain, even in case of frequent forecasts updates.     

Supporting the collaborative decision-making process in an automotive supply chain with a multi-agent system

Collaborative initiatives such as collaborative design, collaborative planning and forecasting, and open collective innovation are increasingly accepted as approaches that can effectively support decision-making (DM) processes in a range of different industries. However, justifying and demonstrating the benefits of collaborative solutions remains a challenge and has been under-researched. Demonstrating the feasibility of implementing collaborative solutions as opposed to traditional, linear and transactional solutions is even less evident. The purpose of this paper is to conceive a collaborative solution that supports the multi-level DM process in a real, tree-based automotive supply chain environment. The hypothesis presented posits that by sharing information collaboratively, improvements in terms of the profit and service levels will be found within the supply chain and at every supply chain node.     

Developing management capability within a horizontal supply chain in performance measurement deployment and evolution: a Dynamic Capabilities and Goal Theory perspective

Abstract

Complex collaboration in rapidly changing business environments create challenges for management capability in Utility Horizontal Supply Chains (UHSCs) involving the deploying and evolving of performance measures. The aim of the study is twofold. First, there is a need to explore how management capability can be developed and used to deploy and evolve Performance Measurement (PM), both across a UHSC and within its constituent organisations, drawing upon a theoretical nexus of Dynamic Capability (DC) theory and complementary Goal Theory. Second, to make a contribution to knowledge by empirically building theory using these constructs to show the management motivations and behaviours within PM-based DCs. The methodology uses an interpretive theory building, multiple case-based approach (n = 3) as part of a USHC. The data collection methods include, interviews (n = 54), focus groups (n = 10), document analysis and participant observation (reflective learning logs) over a five-year period giving longitudinal data. The empirical findings lead to the development of a conceptual framework showing that management capabilities in driving PM deployment and evolution can be represented as multilevel renewal and incremental Dynamic Capabilities, which can be further understood in terms of motivation and behaviour by Goal-Theoretic constructs. In addition, three interrelated cross-cutting themes of management capabilities in consensus building, goal setting and resource change were identified. These management capabilities require carefully planned development and nurturing within the UHSC.