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CORE: A Heuristic to Solve Vehicle Routing
Problem with Mixed Delivery and Pickup
--S P Anbuudayasankar,
K Ganesh and K Mohandas
Conventionally,
the vehicle routing problem is considered as a pure delivery
or a pickup variant. In many real-life circumstances, the
vehicle is frequently used for a mixed combination of delivery
and pickup. This paper deals with the vehicle routing problem
variant with mixed delivery and pickup. A two-phase heuristic
is developed to address this variant. A constructive heuristic
based on modified K-means clustering methodology is proposed
to develop an initial feasible solution in the first stage.
Then, the adapted Or-opt mechanism is employed as the improvement
heuristic for improving the initial feasible solution. Random
test instances generated based on real data are evaluated
between the lower bound obtained using CPLEX for the mathematical
programming model developed by Wade and Salhi (2002) and
the solution of the two-stage heuristic.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Decision Framework for Supplier Evaluation and Selection
in Supply Chain
--Srikanta Routroy
There
is a need for a complete and structured methodology for
selecting a supplier in supply chain. The present work describes
an efficient decision framework for supplier evaluation
and selection in supply chain. The objective of this paper
is to decide the significant categories and performance
indicators for selecting a supplier in the supply chain
and to explain how an AHP-PVA algorithm can be used to capture
and analyze significant categories and performance indicators
to rank the suppliers. The application of the decision framework
for supplier evaluation and selection has been demonstrated
with a case situation. The findings demonstrate that the
decision framework can be useful to all firms in their supplier
selection decision.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Inventory
Optimization in Supply Chain: Zero Inventory Approach
--Kanaka B
Managing
optimal inventory in the supply chain is critical for an
enterprise. The ability to increase inventory turns and
the use of best inventory practices will reduce inventory
costs across the supply chain. Moving towards zero inventory
will result in effective inventory management in the business
process. Inventory Optimization Solutions can be implemented
easily using inventory optimization software. With Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, inventory can
be updated in real time without product movement, scanning
or human involvement. Companies have to adopt best practices
to optimize operational processes and lower their cost structure
through inventory strategies.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
African Leather Supply Value Chain: An Analysis
--Viju Mathew
The
understanding of leather supply value chain is important
and should be clear because leather and leather products
have become an integral part of our daily life. The finished
leather product reaches the ultimate customer not only as
a result of different industry involvement, but also due
to working of a big supply value chain. The value-added
at each step and the processes during the supply chain fulfill
the demand of the market and industry. The supply of leather
from the African continent, which is a significant producer
of skin and hides in the world is important. This paper
highlights some of the major aspects of the leather supply
chain in which value is added to the leather industry in
Africa. This paper also puts forward the factors which are
acting behind the development of the supply value chain
in Africa. The major significance of understanding the leather
supply value chain is that it provides an integrated approach
to determine and become aware of the problems and constraints
from the basic level of rearing animals for the raw skin
to purchase and use of finished leather products by the
customers.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Factors Influencing Indian Supply Chains of Fruits
and Vegetables: A Literature Review
--Sunil Bhardwaj
and Indrani Palaparthy
As
the Indian population is increasing, the demand for fresh
fruits and vegetables is also increasing. Owing to the perishable
nature and very short shelf life, these items require proper
storage and transportation facilities in order to reach
to the customer in fresh state. This requires a considerable
amount of effort from the involved parties. The entire chain
is fraught with issues like lack of transparency in pricing
(at the farmers' end), dominance of traders, weak links
in supply chain, etc. This leads to loss of revenue to the
farmer and increased additional costs to the other supply
chain partners, which ultimately enforces the final consumer
to bear extra burden on his pocket. Since organized retail
has started showing interest in fresh fruit and vegetable
markets and has already entered into the market with huge
investments, the issues involved in this supply chain have
changed dramatically and are influencing not only the supply
chain partners but also the whole agriculture sector in
India. The present study undertakes a thorough review of
basic and contemporary literature and tries to explain the
factors influencing Indian fruit and vegetable markets and
their effects on the supply chain partners. It also brings
out relevant research gaps and overlooked problems in the
supply chain.
©
2008 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
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