In this paper, an alternative inventory policy that trades off the bullwhip effect at an upstream facility with cost minimization at a current facility, with the goal of reducing system wide total expected inventory costs, when external demand distributjon is autocorrelated, is considered. The alternative inventory policy has a form that is somewhere between one that completely neglects the autocorrleation and one that actively utilizes the autocorrelation. For this purpose, a mathematical model that allows us to evaluate system wide total expected inventory costs for a periodic review system is developed. This model enables us to identify an optimal inventory policy at a current facility that minimizes system wide total expected inventory costs by the best tradeoff of the bullwhip effect at an upstream facility with cost minimization at a current facility. From numerical experiments, it has been found that (i) when the autocorrelation is negative, the optimal policy is one that actively utilizes the autocorrelation, (ii) when the autocorrelation is small and positive, the optimal policy is one that neglects the autocorrelation, and (iii) when the autocorrelation is large and positive, the optimal policy is somewhere between one that actively utilizes the autocorrelation and one that neglect the autocorrelation.

We analyzed the effect of three different types of inventory systems for saving the total cost using simulation on the system where multiple depots and many retailers disperse on the limited area. Three types of inventory systems are single echelon system with inventory exchange and two-echelon system and the variant two-echelon system. Variant two echelon system is the two-echelon system where the inventory transshipmentsare allowed on every two stage inventory echelons. Inventories kept on every retailer are commonly used for all retailers when certain retailer has stock-out. And when all retailers are stock-out, inventories kept on every depot are commonly used for the retailers whose assigned depots are stock-out. These all three systems are simulated with the constraint of service level on wide range of parameter settings. Simulation results show that cost saving effect appear clear for single echelon system and two-echelon system when shortage cost portion and transportation cost portion becomes large respectively irrespective of depot number. Variant two echelon system seems to be superior to two other systems when transportationcost portion becomes very small. But this superiority is not proved in terms of statistics. So we may conclude that the variant two echelon system may be useless with the higher administrative efforts due to frequent inventory exchange. Also we note that the traditional two echelon system becomes inferior to two other systems in terms of statistics when service level becomes high or when demand variance becomes very large. And inventory integration effect that cost becomes saved when depot number decrease, diminishes when transportation cost or stock-out cost increases irrespective of inventory systems.

As order quantity is increased, the ordering cost per item will be cheaper due to saving of transportation and material handling costs. In this paper, two realistic assumptions such as quantity discount and budget limit are considered. Quantity discount means that all units in the order will be discounted according to the predetermined order levels. Budget limit represents that the costs for inventory investments are bounded. This paper develops a Lagrangian relaxation approach for a continuous review inventory model with a budget constraint and quantity discounts. Computational results indicate that the proposed approach provides a good solution. Sensitivity analysis is done to get some insights on budget limit and quantity discount. As budget limit or the amount of discount according to order quantity is increased, order quantity is increased, whereas reorder point is not always increased.

In this paper, we develop an efficient approach to solve a continuous review inventory system with a budget constraint when the semi-finished product and optional components are required to be assembled. We are, in particular, interested in a budget constraint that includes a service level. The service cost, such as labor and facility costs, tends to increase as the service level increase, and it makes the problem difficult to solve. Assuming that the reorder point for a semi-finished product is given, we show that the order quantity for the semi-finished product and the order quantity and reorder point for optional components can be determined by minimizing the total cost that includes setup cost, inventory holding cost, and shortage cost. The performance of the proposed approach is tested by numerical examples. By using sensitivity analysis, we conclude that, as the reorder point for semi-finished product increases, the order quantity for semi-finished product increases, whereas the order quantity and reorder point of optional components decreases.

If service level is increased, then service cost such as labor cost and facility cost will be increased. This service cost is included in the budget constraint in this paper. This service cost makes the problem difficult to solve. The purpose of this research is to develop an efficient approach for a continuous review inventory system with budget constraint when the semi-finished product and optional components are required to be assembled. Assuming that the reorder point for semi-finished product is given, order quantity for semi-finished product and order quantity and reorder point will be determined to minimize total cost that includes setup cost, inventory holding cost, and shortage cost. The performance of the proposed approach is checked by using an example.

As customers' demands for diversified small-quantity products have been increased, there have been great efforts for a firm to respond to customers' demands flexibly and minimize the cost of inventory at the same time. To achieve that goal, in SCM perspective, many firms have tried to control the inventory efficiently. We present an mathematical model to determine the near optimal (s, S) policy of the supply chain, composed of multi suppliers, a warehouse and multi retailers. (s, S) policy is to order the quantity up to target inventory level when inventory level falls below the reorder point. But it is difficult to analyze inventory level because it is varied with stochastic demand of customers. To reflect stochastic demand of customers in our model, we do the analyses in the following order. First, the analysis of inventory in retailers is done at the mathematical model that we present. Then, the analysis of demand pattern in a warehouse is performed as the inventory of a warehouse is much effected by retailers' order. After that, the analysis of inventory in a warehouse is followed. Finally, the integrated mathematical model is presented. It is not easy to get the solution of the mathematical model, because it includes many stochastic factors. Thus, we get the solutions after the stochastic demand is approximated, then they are verified by the simulations.

본 연구는 공급자(supplier), 소매상(retailer) 그리고 고객(customer)으로 구성된 2 단계 공급사슬에서 소매상의 관점에서 소매상의 최적 재고정책 결정에 관한 문제를 다루었다. 공급자는 수요 증대를 목적으로 소매상의 주문량에 따라 다단계로 일정기간동안 제품 판매대금에 대한 지불 연기(외상)를 허용하고, 고객의 수요는 소매상의 제품 재고량에 영향을 받는다는 가정 하에 재고 모형을 설계하였다. 모형 분석을 통하여 소매상의 이익을 최대화하

본 논문은 제품공급자, 중간분배자 그리고 고객으로 구성된 2 단계 공급사슬에서 공급자가 수요 증대를 목적으로 중간분배자에게 일정기간 동안 제품대금에 대한 지불연기를 허용하는 상황을 고려하여 중간분배자의 신뢰성있는 판매가격 및 재고보충정책을 결정하는 문제를 다루었다. 문제 분석을 위하여 고려하는 제품은 시간에 따라 일정률로 퇴화한다는 가정과 함께 수송량에 따라 할인되는 수송비를 고려하여 모형을 수립하였고, 중간분배자의 수익 증대를 위한 경제적 판매가격 및

This study tries to develop the models of measuring the level of product availability accommodated for features of specific customers dividing customers into VIP customers and general customers. Functions of costs that the models are composed of are cost

The aim of the paper is to solve the problem of customer reduction due to the difficulty of parts sourcing which impacts production delay and delivery delay in SC networks. Furthermore, this paper is to suggest the new inventory policy of MTS in order to solve the problem of current inventory policy. In order to compare two policies, a LCD maker is selected as a case study and the real data for 2007 years is used for simulation input. The maker uses MTO policy for parts sourcing which has the problem of lead time even if it has some advantage of inventory cost. Based on current process. The simulation program of AS-IS model and TO-BE model using ARENA 10 version is developed for evaluation. In a result, the order number of two policies shows that MTO is 52 and MTS is 53. However the quantity of order shows big difference such that MTO is 168,460 and MTS is 225,106. Particularly, the lead time of new inventory policy shows much shorter that that of MTO such that MTO 100 is days and MTS is 16 days. In spite of short lead time by MTS policy, new policy has to take burden of inventory cost per year. Total inventory cost per year by MTS policy is US 11,254 and each part inventory cost is that POL is US 1,807, LDI is US 2,166 and Panel is US 7,281. The implication of the research is that the company has to consider the cost and the service simultaneously in deciding the inventory policy. In the paper, even if the optimal point of deciding is put into tactical area, the ground of decision is suggested in order to improve the problem in SC networks.