Supply chain planning using network flow optimization

The objective of this research is to introduce a network optimization framework to help a supplier firm make tactical decisions in contemporary eCommerce situations from a supplier's perspective. Our primary area of interest is demand management and aggregate flow planning for supply chain network firms.; We begin by presenting some formulations of an aggregate supply chain production-distribution model for the multi-commodity multi-time period general network flow problem with concave capacity congestion functions. Two linear planning models are formulated to help firms manage demands and orders respectively.; We then extend the models to bring in nonlinear constraints to represent capacity as a function of work-in-process. We incorporate three types of concave capacity functions from the literature to model congestion situations in production-distribution systems. Piecewise linear approximation and Kelly's cutting-plane algorithm solution methodologies are applied to solve the resulting nonlinear models. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...