A joint model for cash and inventory management for a retailer under delay in payments

As retail companies continue to navigate through the economy downturn, it becomes critical to find innovative cost reduction methods. Cash management is a cost-intensive process for retailers, who are currently focusing on effective cash management, such as deciding on the maximum cash level to keep in their business accounts and how much to borrow to finance inventories and pay suppliers. In this paper, we consider the problem of finding the optimal operational (how much to order and when to pay the supplier) and financial decisions (maximum cash level and loan amount) by integrating the cash management and inventory lot sizing problems. We consider a supplier offering a retailer an interest-free credit period for settling the payment. Beyond this period, the supplier charges interest on the outstanding balance. Whenever the cash exceeds a certain limit, it will be invested in purchasing financial securities. At the time when the retailer pays the supplier for the received order, cash is withdrawn from the account, incuring various financial costs. If the cash level becomes zero or not sufficient, the retailer obtains an asset-based loan at interest. We model this problem as a nonlinear program and propose a solution procedure for finding the optimal solution. We perform a numerical study to analyze the impact of optimal cash management on the inventory decisions. The results indicate that the optimal order quantity decreases as the retailer’s return on cash increases. We compare our model to a model that ignores financial considerations of cash management, and show numerically that our model lowers the retailer’s cost. Also, we illustrate the effect of changing various model parameters on the optimal solution and obtain managerial insights.     

带有订单转保理的供应链金融的收益共享博弈模型

当作为供应商的中小企业出现了严重的财务困境问题时,急需有效融资工具和创新管理模式加以解决.订单转保理可以令资质良好的零售商为资金短缺的供应商提供融资担保,有效解决供应商的订单减少和融资难的问题.然而,分散决策的订单转保理融资模式,使得做担保的零售商的收益降低,不能明显改善供应链效率.针对此问题,研究订单转保理模式下的供应链协调模型,并重点研究由供应商与零售商组成的二级供应链的订单转保理收益共享模型.研究发现:收益共享决策模型供应链总收益小于集中决策供应链总收益,大于分散决策的供应链总收益,表明供应链成员相互合作程度越高,越有利于供应链发展,从而表明协调在供应链中发挥重要作用.然而,集中决策模型只能得到供应链最优总收益,无法得到供应商和零售商的最优收益.收益共享模型不仅能够提高产品订货量,降低产品批发价格,增加供应商和零售商的收益,而且通过最优的收益共享系数可以得到供应商和零售商的最优收益.收益共享机制能够为供应商和零售商共赢协调发展提供新的运作管理模式.     

贸易信用下考虑零售商违约风险的供应链协调问题研究

本文研究延迟支付和提前支付同时存在下的供应链协调问题。考虑由一个供应商和一个零售商构成的二级供应链,市场需求随机,延迟支付下零售商会增加订购数量,但由于其违约风险的存在,供应商会降低其交付量,最终导致供应商交付量小于零售商订购量,降低供应链收益。要求零售商提前支付部分货款则可以有效避免零售商的违约问题,通过建立延迟支付和提前支付同时存在下的零售商收益模型和供应商的收益模型,给出了零售商的最优订购量决策和供应商的最优交付量决策,通过调整延迟支付期限和提前支付比例,使得二者相等,并等于供应链整体收益最大化下的生产数量,实现供应链协调。最后通过数值算例分析了相关参数的敏感性等问题。     

Coordinating a two-level supply chain with delay in payments and profit sharing

Achieving effective coordination among suppliers and retailers has become a pertinent research issue in supply chain management. Channel coordination is a joint decision policy achieved by a supplier(s) and a retailer(s) characterized by an agreement on the order quantity and the trade credit scenario (e.g., quantity discounts, delay in payments). This paper proposes a centralized model where players in a two-level (supplier–retailer) supply chain coordinate their orders to minimize their local costs and that of the chain. In the proposed supply chain model the permissible delay in payments is considered as a decision variable and it is adopted as a trade credit scenario to coordinate the order quantity between the two-levels. Computational results indicate that with coordination, the retailer orders in larger quantities than its economic order quantity, with savings to either both players, or to one in the supply chain. Moreover, a profit-sharing scenario for the distribution of generated net savings among the players in the supply chain is presented. Analytical and experimental results are presented and discussed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model.     

考虑损失厌恶和锚定心理的供应链订货与协调

为更合理地实现供应链协调的整体最优绩效,以具有损失厌恶和锚定心理的零售商和风险中性的供应商组成的两级供应链为研究对象,探讨回购契约下的供应链订货及协调情况。建立集中和分散决策下考虑零售商损失厌恶和锚定心理的回购契约协调模型,分析了零售商最优订货量与批发价格、回购价格之间的关系,以及各契约参数对回购价格和各节点利润的影响,并给出了供应链实现协调需要达成的条件。结果表明,当零售商订购的产品为高利润产品时,能够实现供应链整体最优绩效,达到供应链协调,且利润在供应链双方之间的分配随着批发和回购价格的提升而向供应商倾斜,但零售商损失厌恶和锚定心理的加深会使得供应商提升回购价格,使整体供应链的利润下降,成本费用增加。     

Supply chain coordination based on return contracts with a threshold ordering quantity

Return contracts are commonly used by companies selling products with short life cycles and highly uncertain demand. Current research on return contracts assumes suppliers are responsible for all surplus products. In practice, retailers tend to order more than necessary and leave suppliers with large after‐season returns. To mitigate the problem, a new type of return contract with a threshold ordering quantity has been developed by some enterprises. Under these contracts, suppliers specify a threshold for retailers’ ordering quantity. They buy back only the portion in excess of the threshold. In this paper, we show that this new type of contract can achieve two objectives: (a) the supply chain is coordinated, and (b) both the supplier and the retailer can gain more profit than they can gain under a wholesale‐price‐only contract. The new contract does not require any manipulation of wholesale prices. This makes it more acceptable in practice by supply chain members. We also illustrate our findings in a numerical example.     

基于成本共担契约的生鲜供应链保鲜努力机制

研究由一个供应商与一个零售商组成的生鲜供应链,在分散式决策与集中式决策下的最优保鲜努力水平.考虑两类成本共担契约方式:一类为零售商单独提供成本共担契约的方式,另一类为供应商与零售商二者博弈制定成本共担契约的方式;同时,比较两类成本共担契约对供应链整体保鲜努力水平的影响.结果表明,成本共担契约对生鲜供应链整体生鲜水平的提高非常有益,且有利于提高供应商、零售商及供应链整体的利润,其中供应商与零售商二者博弈制定成本共担契约的方式最为有效.另外,保鲜成本与消费者生鲜敏感程度分别对供应链的发展起着消极和积极的作用.     

风险规避型双渠道供应链的融资和定价决策

在零售商资金约束下,基于CVaR准则构建了风险规避的供应商和零售商组成的双渠道供应链的定价模型。分析了零售商资金充足时,供应商和零售商的最优决策、资金约束情况下零售商的银行借贷融资、延期支付策略和组合融资时零售商和供应商的最优决策以及零售商和供应商的风险规避程度对最优决策变量和收益的影响。通过数值分析,进一步验证了零售商和供应商的风险规避度对三种融资模式下零售商和供应商的最优决策变量和利润的影响。研究表明：资金充足和延期支付策略下最优决策变量与风险规避度的关系一致;银行借贷和组合融资下最优决策变量与风险规避度的关系一致;单一延期支付策略和组合融资优于单一银行借贷融资;组合融资比例大于一定值时,优于单纯延期支付策略。     

Coordinating a two-supplier and one-retailer supply chain with forecast updating

We consider the component-purchasing problem for a supply chain consisting of one retailer and two complementary suppliers with different lead-times. The retailer purchases a specific component from each supplier for assembling into a fashionable product. After ordering from the long-lead-time supplier (Supplier 1) and before ordering from the short-lead-time supplier (Supplier 2), the retailer can update its demand forecast for the product. The retailer can partially cancel its order from Supplier 1 after forecast updating. By formulating the problem as a dynamic optimization problem, we explore the measures that can be deployed to coordinate the retailer’s ordering decisions with forecast updating. We analytically show that the supply chain can be coordinated if both suppliers offer a returns policy and Supplier 1 charges an order-cancelation penalty to the retailer. We find that the coordination mechanism is independent of demand distribution and the forecast updating process. We further show that it is easier for the suppliers to coordinate the supply chain if market observation indicates the future market demand is sufficiently large. We also study the case where demand is price-dependent and propose a generalized revenue-sharing contract to coordinate the supply chain. We discuss the academic and managerial implications of the theoretical findings.     

Financing decisions in supply chains with a capital‐constrained manufacturer: competition and risk

Supply chain finance is a crucial topic. In this paper, we consider that a capital‐constrained manufacturer can borrow money from either a bank (bank credit financing) or a retailer (trade credit financing). Our analysis compares supply chain performance under these two financing schemes. Furthermore, we extend our model to evaluate the impacts of retail competition and supply chain member's risk aversion on supply chains, which consist of one capital‐constrained manufacturer and two competing retailers. We consider three financing schemes: only bank credit financing, dual trade credit financing, and bank and trade credit mix financing. We find that without retail competition, the retailer is always willing to use the trade credit financing; whereas with retail competition, if one retailer provides the trade credit but the other does not, the credit provider could receive the superior profit. Thus, providing an appropriate trade credit financing scheme is critically important for retailers. Moreover, we find that without retail competition, when a trade interest rate is relatively low, both the retailer and manufacturer could reach a win‐win situation in the trade credit financing. However, with retail competition, supply chain members (i.e., two retailers and one manufacturer) will not have an all‐win situation no matter which specific financing scheme is adopted and only a win‐win‐lose situation exists when using the credit mix financing scheme or the dual trade credit financing in supply chains. Last but not least, regardless of risk neutrality or aversion of supply chain members, their pricing decisions among three financing schemes are similar. This implies that the impacts of supply chain members’ risk aversion are limited in supply chain financing scheme selection. More managerial insights are discussed.     

供应商竞争关系下的第三方物流融资及物流服务决策

研究第三方物流企业（3PL）在处于竞争关系中的供应商面临资金约束时的融资策略选择问题。考虑由两个竞争关系的供应商和一个零售商构成的两级供应链,3PL企业为供应链提供代采购、物流及融资服务,分别考虑在代采购中向供应商提供融资能够获得价格折扣和代采购中考虑额外资金成本情况下,3PL融资意愿选择,向供应商提供（不提供）融资。建立3PL、供应商和零售商在不同情况下的收益模型,并给出供应商和零售商的最优定价,以及3PL的最优物流服务收费决策,通过比较融资前后各个企业的收益分析3PL参与供应链融资的积极作用。研究发现3PL向处于竞争环境下的资金短缺供应商提供融资能够增加3PL、零售商和供应链整体的收益,且3PL更愿意在考虑自身资金成本的情况下向供应商提供融资,并且供应商之间竞争越激烈,3PL和零售商的获益越大。     

基于LA型供应商的易逝品供应链价格补贴契约

针对由单个损失厌恶型供应商和单个风险中性型零售商组成的供应链系统,在前景理论框架下,研究了存在缺货损失下的基于批发价格契约和价格补贴契约的易逝品供应链协调问题。首先分析了分散化供应链系统在批发价格契约下供应商和零售商的最优决策,并将供应商的最优生产量与集中化供应链系统下的最优生产量进行了比较;从理论上严格证明了当供应商的最优生产量小于集中化供应链系统下的最优生产量时,供应商不能通过批发价格契约使得自己的生产量为集中化供应链的生产量。然后分析了在缔结政府提供的价格补贴契约下供应商和零售商的最优决策。研究结果表明,损失厌恶型供应商在批发价格契约下的最优生产量可能偏离系统最优生产量,这时政府可以通过价格补贴契约来协调整个供应链。     

Multi-item integrated supply chain model for deteriorating items with stock dependent demand under fuzzy random and bifuzzy environments

In this paper, we have investigated multi-item integrated production-inventory models of supplier and retailer with a constant rate of deterioration under stock dependent demand. Here we have considered supplier’s production cost as nonlinear function depending on production rate, retailers procurement cost exponentially depends on the credit period and suppliers transportation cost as a non-linear function of the amount of quantity purchased by the retailer. The models are optimized to get the value of the credit periods and total time of the supply chain cycle under the space and budget constraints. The models are also formulated under fuzzy random and bifuzzy environments. The ordering cost, procurement cost, selling price of retailer’s and holding costs, production cost, transportation cost, setup cost of the supplier’s and the total storage area and budget are taken in imprecise environments. To show the validity of the proposed models, few sensitivity analyses are also presented under the different rate of deterioration. The models are also discussed in non deteriorating items as a special case of the deteriorating items. The deterministic optimization models are formulated for minimizing the entire monetary value of the supply chain and solved using genetic algorithm (GA). A case study has been performed to illustrate those models numerically.     

Optimal decisions for a two-echelon supply chain with capacity and demand information

Due to the applications of Internet of Things and big data in the Industry 4.0 context, more information in and out of a smart factory can be collected and shared between manufacturers and retailers. In this study, we consider two types of information that can be available in a supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer in Industry 4.0: the capacity information for the later rush production and the demand information shared between the retailer and manufacturer. In the supply chain, the manufacturer provides two orders with maximum limits by using a capacitated normal production and two capacitated rush production modes. To study the effects of the information, we investigate the optimal decisions and profits for the supply chain with and without the capacity information and demand information sharing. In addition, we propose a coordination mechanism for the supply chain with both the capacity information and demand information sharing. The coordination mechanism does not only rely on cost parameters, but also on the capacity and demand information. The numerical examples show that the supply chain profit can be improved by as large as 16.76% in the coordinated system, compared with the original system without the capacity information and demand information sharing.     

On conflict and cooperation in a two-echelon inventory model for deteriorating items

Four scenarios are proposed concerning cooperative behavior for inventory policies between suppliers and retailers: no information is shared; the supplier is dominant during negotiations with retailers; the retailer is dominant during negotiations with suppliers; and the supplier and retailer cooperate. Unlike other studies, we consider deteriorating items and permit completed backorders, with a fixed service rate, in the models for these four scenarios. We explore the optimality of these models and present a procedure to find the optimal solution. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the procedure, which are also used for sensitivity analysis. The results show that the cooperation scenario with information sharing is the best way to reach a win–win position. However, some compensation programs might be required to persuade suppliers or retailers to cooperate when one of them faces a loss of profits in a cooperative scenario.     

资金约束下的非对称信息供应链协调研究

供应链金融能够有效解决无核心资产的中小企业资金约束的问题。针对制造商、分销商和零售商组成的三级供应链,考虑了零售商自有资金的不同对融资利率变化的影响,研究了在完全信息下采用融资前后联合契约供应链的收益变化,实现供应链协调的参数和各成员收益的变化,将零售商销售成本信息不对称下的情况作为对比,分析零售商私有信息对供应链的影响,通过算例进行了数值分析。结果表明,在完全信息下零售商存在资金约束时,融资服务能够增加供应链各成员的期望收益,回购契约与收益共享契约组成的联合契约能够协调采用融资后的供应链,在非对称信息下,供应链的效率有所减少,而资金充足的零售商会因私有成本信息获得更多的收益,但是在资金约束时,私有信息却失去了价值。     

基于需求偏差的供应链协调问题

分析了单供应商和单零售商组成的供应链在需求预测偏差下的协调问题.当市场规模和价格敏感系数同时发生变化时,为使供应链收益最大,提出了调整生产计划和零售价格的协调机制.进一步证明了利用数量折扣机制可协调需求偏差下的分权供应链,而且该机制还实现了供应链收益在供应商和零售商间的任意分配.最后进行了实例分析.     

具有损失厌恶偏好零售商的供应链弹性数量契约

研究由风险中性供应商和具有损失厌恶偏好零售商组成的供应链在弹性数量契约条件下的协调问题.揭示了契约参数和零售商损失厌恶特性对零售商最优订货量的影响,发现调整弹性度这一契约参数可使供应链得到协调;同时,当弹性度满足一定条件时,调整批发价格也可实现供应链协调.最后通过数值分析,验证了弹性数量契约在协调供应链中的有效性,并探讨了其中原因.     

Operational causes of bankruptcy propagation in supply chain

With the increasing interdependence among supply chain members, bankruptcy of a supply chain member may be caused by operational decisions of other members. To investigate how bankruptcy occurs and propagates in supply chain networks, we build a multi-agent simulation model for a two-stage supply chain that consists of multiple upstream manufacturers and multiple downstream retailers. Based on the developed simulation model, we study impacts of various operational parameters and decisions, such as horizontal competition among retailers, order allocation strategies of retailers, wholesale price of manufacturers, characteristics of market demand and number of retailers, on bankruptcy propagation. Since many operational decisions of a firm are made under financial constraints, we also investigate the linkage between firm's operational risks and financial decisions (e.g., the maximal risk of cash flow that a member is willing to take, and the up-front payment proportion of retailers in a two-period payment policy). Experimental results reveal that operational interactions between supply chain members and operational decisions made by supply chain members are important causes of bankruptcy propagation, but impacts of these operational parameters and decisions depend on financial decisions. These observations indicate that supply chain members can moderately hedge their operational risk through financial decisions.     

Ordering and returns handling decisions and coordination in a supply chain with demand uncertainty

We develop a newsvendor model to study the retailer's order quantity, the manufacturer's returns handling strategy, and channel coordination. The manufacturer chooses one of two returns handling strategies: manufacturer handling or retailer handling under the coordinated and decentralized scenarios, respectively. Under the coordinated scenario, we find that when consumer's returns handling cost under manufacturer handling or the manufacturer's returns handling cost is small, consumer returns should be handled by the manufacturer. Under the decentralized scenario, when the retailer's returns handling cost or the consumer's returns handling cost under retailer handling is low, the manufacturer will choose manufacturer handling; both the manufacturer and the retailer may be better off using manufacturer handling (a win–win situation). The impact of the returns handling strategy on the retailer's ordering quantity largely depends on its effect on the consumer's returns handling cost. Finally, we also design buyback contracts to coordinate the supply chain and find that both wholesale price and buyback price under manufacturer handling are higher than those under retailer handling.