The Application Of Computer Simulation In Logistics System Management

With development of the globalization and electronic business, the pressure that enterprises face is becoming heavier and heavier. Logistics, as a part of value chain, receives the unprecedented attention, because of its ability to cut down the cost and to improve the customer's service level. In our county, through the logistics is large, it is not strong. The operation level is low and the decision support ability is scare. So, it has some significance to research how to apply computer simulation into logistics system management.At first, the author discussed how enterprises obtain the competitive advantage through logistics, the respects that our country's logistics need to improve, and the complexity of logistics system. Then, the author introduced computer simulation, a powerful tool for dealing with complicated system. Not only its principle and types are described, but also the comparison with other systematic analytical methods is made. At last, the author researched the situations that suit to use computer simulation in logistics system management, and talked over the steps and advantages of doing it. In this part, a computer simulation of a stochastic inventory system is doing from the beginning to the end with Excel, VBAand Crystal Ball. In this inventory system, the demand, lead time and the response of customers when out of stock are all Stochastic. The criterion of choosing solution is that the total costs is low under the prerequisite of customer's service levelThe main conclusions are: logistics system is an organic whole possessing special function composed of elements such as transportation, warehousing, packaging, materials handling, information process. The phenomenon of "trade-offs" and uncertainty are very common in logistics, which makes it difficult to manage with ordinary method. Computer simulation is primarily an evaluation technology, using model to study the actual system or imaginary system based on computer. Computer simulation is the effective tool to solve difficulty problems of logistics system, because it can describe the complicated relationship and constrainer completely and rightly, especially, it can deal with uncertainty easily. Appling computer simulation into logistics system management can bring decision-makers many benefits, such as more understanding of the system behavior, grasping the advantages and disadvantages of each solution more clearly, saving the time and money, reducing the probability of failure to carry out, and increasing the competence of using information.