Cooperative Scenario Research Articles

Sharing Logistics Service Supply Chain with Revenue-Sharing vs. Cost-Sharing Contracts

The purpose of this study is to explore the design of equity cooperation mechanism in the sharing logistics service supply chain. This study designs a two-echelon logistics service supply chain composed of an urban joint distribution company and N logistics companies. The urban joint distribution company is jointly established by N logistics companies based on specific shares of equity investment. We establish sharing logistics service supply chain models under revenue-sharing or cost-sharing contracts. Revenue-sharing factor or cost-sharing factor is the equity cooperation parameter. When the members of the supply chain choose to cooperate in revenue-sharing or cost-sharing mechanism, not all cooperation scenarios considered in the study can achieve Pareto improvement of the total profit of the supply chain, but at least one situation can achieve Pareto improvement. This study provides feasible solutions for logistics companies to join the sharing logistics service platform and provides a reference for the operation of a joint distribution platform established by logistics companies. New results and managerial insights are derived by the sharing logistics service supply chain with revenue-sharing vs cost-sharing contracts, which enriches the interfaces of the operation of the sharing logistics service supply chain.

Urban e-Grocery Distribution Design in Pamplona (Spain) Applying an Agent-Based Simulation Model with Horizontal Cooperation Scenarios

E-commerce has boosted in the last decades because of the achievements of the information and telecommunications technology along with the changes in the society life-style. More recently, the groceries online purchase (or e-grocery), has also prevailed as a way of making the weekly shopping, particularly, the one including fresh vegetables and fruit. Furthermore, this type of virtual shopping in supermarkets is gaining importance as the most efficient delivery system in cost and time. Thus, we have evaluated in this study the influence of the cooperation-based policies on costs and service quality among different supermarkets in Pamplona, Spain. Concerning methodology, first of all, we carried out a survey in Pamplona having the purpose of modelling the demand patterns about e-grocery. Second, we have developed an agent-based simulation model for generating scenarios in non-cooperative, limited cooperation, and full cooperation settings, considering the real data obtained from the survey analysis. At this manner, Vehicle Routing Problems (VRP) and Multi Depot VRPs (MDVRP) are dynamically generated and solved within the simulation framework using a biased-randomization algorithm. Finally, the results show significant reductions in distance driven and lead times when employing horizontal cooperation in e-grocery distribution.

Evaluation of Transboundary Water Resource Development in Mekong River Basin: The Application of Analytic Hierarchy Process in the Context of Water Cooperation

Mekong River is one of the major international freshwater sources in the world. The Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) comprised of four downstream countries, including Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The utilization of the basin’s water brings not only substantial benefits to the region ranging from hydropower to navigation, but also negative impacts caused by the unbalanced water using. The essential role of Mekong River requires all member nations to cooperate effectively for the sustainable development of the region. One of the most popular methods in the field of water resource management is a trustable tool called the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). AHP is much appropriate for water resource policymaking. The literature, however, points out that there is no study to both structure the water using hierarchy and employ quantitative (objective) criteria to the AHP model in LMB case. With regard to water resource management, there are no previous studies applying AHP models to evaluating sustainable development of transboundary water resource in LMB case. This paper explores the evolution of water cooperation among Mekong countries and subsequently evaluates the water development scenarios in the LMB based on the water cooperation preferences of four LMB countries This study proposes a novel approach to analyzing, assessing water resource development scenarios characterized by sustainability indicators and to assisting in developing a suitable water policy in LMB according to the best cooperation scenario.

Horizontal collaboration in oligopoly supply chain

Oligopolistic markets are those in which a few numbers of firms produce and markets similar products to similar markets and customers, and this group of few hold a significant market share. Since these oligopolistic firms already have effective penetration in distribution lanes, there are areas where these firms can cooperate while competing with others. This paper aims to check the feasibility of horizontal collaboration on transportation for these oligopolistic firms by conducting a study on a three-firm four-zone case model. The study uses a mixed integer linear programming model to harness the potential of load bundling and backhauling optimisation when the transportation load demands of these firms are merged. The competitive and cooperative scenarios are compared using different performance measures like cost savings, reduction of no. of trips, and asset utilisation. Also, the effort is taken to ensure the model is framed on the real case scenarios present in the Indian transportation industry.

COOPERACIÓN CIENTÍFICA E EDUCACIONAL DE BASE AGROECOLÓGICA:

Este estudio objetiva reflexionar sobre la cooperación científico-educacional de base Agroecológica, involucrando el Instituto Federal, Ciencia y Tecnología de Amazonas (IFAM), ubicado en la amazonia brasileña, cuyos desafíos asumen una singularidad, ya que, con sus unidades, se encuentran presentes en todas las meso-regiones del Estado de Amazonas. Así es que éste complejo ambiente amazónico, se impone como elemento central para las acciones educativas de esta institución, cuyo escenario es enmarcado por características geográficas diversas y potencialidad de esta bacía, con sus cuatro millones de kilómetros cuadrados, en cuya diversidad se tiene saberes, involucrando: investigadores, agricultores familiares, agentes de la extensión, indígenas, kilombolas, ribereños, estudiantes, agro-(re) colectadores, líderes comunitarios, profesores, movimientos sociales y miembros de la sociedad civil organizada. Así es que el desafío educacional asume una gran magnitud, para la cual la cooperación científico-educacional de base agroecología puede desempeñar un rol fundamental en el enfrentamiento de esa relevante cuestión. El camino recorrido en esta elaboración fue lastreado por literatura especializada en el tema. La situación estudiada proyecta a la Agroecología como el campo del conocimiento capaz de contribuir para enfrentar esta cuestión, contexto en que se presenta un posible escenario de desarrollo y cooperación para el IFAM.

Benefits of Cooperative Peer Review

An authors' satisfaction is apparently influenced by the duration and quality of the scientific peer review process. In a research field, where multiple peer-reviewed journals offer the publication of articles and share a common scientific interest, an opportunity exists for them to cooperate in the often costly investment needed to maintain the peer review system. In a cooperative peer-review scenario, academic journals would share a submission management system, a reviewer database, a reviewer selection process, a recommended set of standards for reporting reviews, a review quality instrument, and a model for reviewer compensation. However, the final decision on what to publish in each journal would rest solely with the journal editor. This paper aims to apply peer review theory to the exploration of cooperative peer review. Thus, game theory is used to describe and model how peer review agents behave. A set of strategies for those agents is an equilibrium if each represents a best response to the other strategies. If all the players are playing the strategies in an equilibrium, they have no unilateral incentive to deviate, since their strategy is the best they can do given what others are doing. The equilibria of these games can predict how actual journals, authors and reviewers will behave when confronted with situations analogous to the peer-review game being studied. In particular, cooperation between peer-reviewed journals is more likely when each journal's prospective benefits outweigh that journal's prospective costs. Therefore, in this paper, we compare a Benchmark scenario of competition between journals and a cooperative scenario to further analyze the impact of incorporating cooperative peer review in the academic publishing process. We find that a cost-sharing scheme in cooperative peer review helps the academic journals offer a higher review quality than they would otherwise be able to achieve individually. A key insight from our results is that if a cost-sharing factor is properly specified, cooperative peer review can benefit the competing academic journals and help increase their profit levels, quality standards for accepting articles and review quality.

A Cooperative Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning Method Based on Coordination Degree

Multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) has become a prevalent method for solving cooperative problems owing to its tractable implementation and task distribution. The goal of the MARL algorithms for fully cooperative scenarios is to obtain the optimal joint strategy that maximizes the expected common cumulative reward for all agents. However, to date, the analysis of MARL dynamics has focused on repeated games with few agents and actions. To this end, we propose a cooperative MARL algorithm based on the coordination degree (CMARL-CD) and analyze its dynamics in more general cases in which repeated games with more agents and actions are considered. Theoretical analysis shows that if the component action of every optimal joint action is unique, all optimal joint actions are asymptotically stable critical points. The CMARL-CD algorithm realizes coordination among agents without the need to estimate the global Q-value function. Each agent estimates the coordination degree of its own action, which represents the potential of being the optimal action. The efficacy of the CMARL-CD algorithm is studied through repeated games and stochastic games.

Efficient inter-port cooperation considering port congestion and port charge

This paper discusses the efficiency of cooperation among ports under congested conditions and determines an approach for strategic cooperation between ports through model analysis. We develop a bilevel optimization model based on the benefit maximization problem of port authorities and cost minimization problem of cargo carriers. We consider several port cooperation scenarios in the numerical computation. From the computation results, the following conclusions are derived: (1) when each port authority prioritizes its own profit, port cooperation in a congested port would be successful because the cooperation can be beneficial for the carrier; (2) when each port authority considers the benefit of its local customers in terms of shipping costs related to both economies of density and port congestion, port cooperation in a congested port would rarely be successful because the cooperation cannot be beneficial for the carrier and the carrier cannot support it.

A Differential Game with Random Time Horizon and Discontinuous Distribution

One class of differential games with random duration is considered. It is assumed that the duration of the game is a random variable with values from a given finite interval. The cumulative distribution function (CDF) of this random variable is assumed to be discontinuous with two jumps on the interval. It follows that the player’s payoff takes the form of the sum of integrals with different but adjoint time intervals. In addition, the first interval corresponds to the zero probability of the game to be finished, which results in terminal payoff on this interval. The method of construction optimal solution for the cooperative scenario of such games is proposed. The results are illustrated by the example of differential game of investment in the public stock of knowledge.

Adjusting Tax Policy to the Challenges of Digitalization, Inequality and Technological Unemployment

The article is devoted to the problem of tax systems’ transformation in the era of digital economic development. The authors highlight the problem of technological unemployment and growing income inequality as the article’s primary concern, which they explain using a gap in workers’ professionalism and qualifications. The authors highlight various possible consequences for the tax systems of developed and developing countries. Based on this analysis, the authors also consider the prospects for multilateral cooperation as an instrument of economic policy that aims to slow the rate of technological unemployment and the growth of inequality (both between and within countries). Having studied developed and developing countries’ economic interests, in their concluding arguments, the authors suggest that a cooperation scenario is currently unlikely, which places the poorest countries’ tax systems in an extremely vulnerable position. The final part of this article explores the Russian tax system’s adaptation to digital economic challenges. This article was prepared as part of research by state assignment at the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

Energy efficiency optimization for amplify and forward relay networks with channel estimation errors

Due to the rapidly increasing energy consumption of the wireless communication systems, designing an energy-efficient system has become an important challenge. One can consider cooperative communication as a promising solution to reduce energy consumed by wireless networks. Hence, in this paper, we study the problem of maximizing energy efficiency by optimally allocating power in three cooperative channel scenarios. Unlike the previous works, imperfect channel state information is considered for all channels. Therefore, energy efficiency functions are derived considering channel estimation errors, and the following optimization problems are formulated to maximize the energy efficiency under the maximum transmission power and the minimum spectral efficiency constraints. Regarding the energy efficiency function behavior, an alternating optimization algorithm is used to find pilot and data transmission power at the source node. It also optimizes the power amplification gain of pilot and data at the relay node. Simulation results demonstrate that the imperfect channel state information condition can degrade the energy efficiency performance significantly. However, using the proposed power allocation method can improve the performance and compensate for the negative effect of channel estimation error. Moreover, the effect of circuit power on the optimal energy efficiency is investigated. It is shown that for a lower range of spectral efficiency, the negative effect of circuit power is greater than the channel estimation error’s negative effect, while for the higher values, the estimation error dominates the circuit power. We also observe that the results obtained from the proposed power allocation algorithms are close to the results of the global search method.

Nash Equilibrium Seeking in Quadratic Noncooperative Games Under Two Delayed Information-Sharing Schemes

In this paper, we propose non-model-based strategies for locally stable convergence to Nash equilibrium in quadratic noncooperative games where acquisition of information (of two different types) incurs delays. Two sets of results are introduced: (a) one, which we call cooperative scenario, where each player employs the knowledge of the functional form of his payoff and knowledge of other players’ actions, but with delays; and (b) the second one, which we term the noncooperative scenario, where the players have access only to their own payoff values, again with delay. Both approaches are based on the extremum seeking perspective, which has previously been reported for real-time optimization problems by exploring sinusoidal excitation signals to estimate the Gradient (first derivative) and Hessian (second derivative) of unknown quadratic functions. In order to compensate distinct delays in the inputs of the players, we have employed predictor feedback. We apply a small-gain analysis as well as averaging theory in infinite dimensions, due to the infinite-dimensional state of the time delays, in order to obtain local convergence results for the unknown quadratic payoffs to a small neighborhood of the Nash equilibrium. We quantify the size of these residual sets and corroborate the theoretical results numerically on an example of a two-player game with delays.

Coded Caching for Smart Grid Enabled HetNets With Resource Allocation and Energy Cooperation

With the development of millions more small-cell base stations (SBSs) and billions of connected devices in the future wireless networks, the need for energy-efficient system design and operation will be even more compelling. This paper investigates the content caching, resource allocation and energy cooperation in coded cache enabled heterogeneous networks (HetNets), where SBSs with cache ability are powered by both conventional grids and renewable energy sources, and energy can be shared among SBSs via the smart grid. We formulate the joint optimization problem, aims at minimizing the conventional grid energy consumption while satisfying quality of service (QoS) requirements of users. To deal with the mixed integer non-linear optimization problem, the original problem is decomposed into three lower level problems, i.e., content caching, content delivery and energy cooperation. We first propose an alternative iterative algorithm to optimize content caching and content delivery by jointly applying convex optimization techniques and matching theory. Then, by discussing two representative energy cooperative scenarios of smart grid supported networks, we propose efficient energy cooperation algorithms for the two scenarios, respectively. Furthermore, the joint content caching, content delivery and energy cooperation optimization algorithms are developed to minimize the conventional grid energy consumption in the considered HetNets. Simulation results demonstrate that the joint algorithms can significantly reduce the conventional grid energy consumption compared with other benchmarks.

Patentes de medicamentos y COVID-19:

El presente artículo académico estudia el acceso (activo y pasivo) a los medicamentos en el marco de la pandemia COVID-19 a partir de la consideración de los mecanismos existentes en el sistema internacional, considerando principalmente a la Organización Mundial de Salud, y secundariamente a la Organización Mundial de Comercio y la Organización Mundial de Propiedad Intelectual que resultan ser los tres organismos involucrados en la materia. Asimismo, explora los posibles escenarios de cooperación internacional mediante la cooperación técnica en materia sanitaria.

Optimal Cooperative Guidance Laws for Two UAVs Under Sensor Information Deficiency Constraints

This paper presents closed-form optimal cooperative guidance laws for two UAVs under information constraints that achieve the required relative approach angle. Two UAVs cooperate to optimize a common cost function under a coupled constraint on terminal velocity vectors and the information constraint which defines the sensor information availability. To handle the information constraint, a general two-player partially nested decentralized optimal control problem is considered in the continuous finite-horizon time domain. It is shown that under the state-separation principle the optimal solution of the decentralized control problem can be obtained by solving two centralized subproblems which cover the prediction problem for the information-deficient player and the prediction error minimization problem for the player with full information. Based on the solution of the decentralized optimal control problem, the explicit closed-form cooperative guidance laws that can be efficiently implemented on conventional guidance computers are derived. The performance of the proposed guidance laws is investigated on both centralized and decentralized cooperative scenarios with nonlinear engagement kinematics of networked two-UAV systems.

Response surface methodology of dual-channel green supply-chain pricing model by considering uncertainty

ABSTRACT Companies apply dual-channel supply-chain (DCSC) by allocating online facilities without leaving conventional retailers. As a result, carbon emissions from production activities have increased in the company structure. Nowadays, DCSC researchers have a tendency to set their models in deterministic settings. These models cannot cope with the structure complexity. This research used Response Surface Methodology to analyse uncertainty in DCSC. The decision variables were the retailers and online prices, while the responses were price channel sensitivities (βo and βr), cross-channel sensitivities (γor and γro), profit estimation, and carbon emission estimation. In illustrating the real-world competition under oligopoly games, the optimisation phase used nonlinear programming under cooperative and non-cooperative scenarios. The result showed that in each channel, price combination had a significant effect on the response variables. Price differences on each channel could confirm the changes of customer preference channel. This study finds that the application of a response surface methodology can describe the significance of price to the DCSC system.

Assessment of community vulnerability and medical surge capacity in a foreseeable major disaster.

ObjectiveDeveloping an adequate disaster response capacity involves an assessment of available resources in areas that are vulnerable to disaster. Here, we sought to evaluate the gap between predicted damage in a foreseeable major earthquake versus existing municipality-level resources in Tokyo, Japan.MethodsOur study focused on the 53 municipalities in Tokyo to evaluate the relationships between the predicted number of severe casualties per 1,000 population from a future earthquake, community characteristics, and inpatient bed supply in local hospitals. Correlation analysis and supply–demand balance estimations were carried out at the municipality level, and the results were geographically visualized using choropleth maps.ResultsThe correlation analysis showed that higher casualties were correlated with municipalities with faster population increase, higher taxable incomes, lower unemployment rates, and higher bed volumes in disaster base hospitals. Under a maximal damage scenario in a future earthquake, we predict a shortage of 2,780 beds for the treatment of severe casualties across Tokyo. Even under a scenario of cooperation among neighboring municipalities, a shortage of 7,107 beds would remain.ConclusionsTokyo is located in a zone where major earthquake damage is anticipated. Cooperation between neighboring municipalities may not suffice to address the undersupply of beds during the acute phase of a disaster. Hence, existing disaster preparedness plans require further reinforcement with a focus on local vulnerabilities.

Cooperative Strategies in Two-Echelon Rescue Delivery Environment with Accessibility Uncertainty

Cooperation between rescue teams is important to improve rescue performance. Vehicles outside of the disaster area usually deliver rescue resources. A two-echelon rescue delivery model is proposed, considering the isolated island of the disaster area where all the roads to the outside are interrupted. This paper first presents a non-cooperation scenario and then a cooperation scenario in an uncertain environment. Furthermore, two types of cooperative strategies to improve rescue performance are provided in the paper. The two cooperative strategies are a reactive cooperative strategy and an anticipatory cooperative strategy. Numerical experiments are used to evaluate the rescue performances of the two cooperation strategies by comparing them with the non-cooperation scenario. The results reveal that the anticipatory cooperative strategy performs the best in different cases varying in size.

Interference mitigation and receiving performance improvement strategies for local cooperation in the 5G system

In the 5G system, different units probably do cooperation to satisfy the communication requirements. However, when network configuration is limited, these units may be difficult to adopt the globally cooperative style. In this case, local cooperation is considered. This study focuses on local cooperation, and mainly aims at interference mitigation between different units and receiving performance improvement for each unit. Generally, a two-step scheme is proposed. First, channel decomposition is acted on interference mitigation through the design of first-step transmitters and receivers. Second, channel diagonalisation with symbol processing and selection principle is executed for receiving performance improvement, and the second-step transmitters and receivers are generated. The authors' contributions are: (i) they present the general scenario of local cooperation, and propose the corresponding strategies of interference mitigation and receiving performance improvement; (ii) they do not apply any iterative algorithm, and can adjust the quantity of information interaction between multiple units; (iii) they can make the symbol processing rule, modulation mode and signal-to-noise ratio metric flexible for each data stream. Numerical results illustrate the proposed scheme efficiently reduces the bit error rate, which means the proposed scheme can achieve the satisfactory effect in the locally cooperative network.

Coordinating biomass supply chains for remote communities: a comparative analysis of non-cooperative and cooperative scenarios

The absence of economies of scale is a major barrier in use of renewable energy sources in small and dispersed off-grid remote communities. For example, in northern Canada, diesel is currently the main source of electricity and heat generation. Coordination of biomass supply chains could play a key role in improving the cost efficiency and reliability of bioenergy generation through bundled ordering and creation of storage hubs. In this study, a supply chain management model with multiple suppliers and multiple end-user communities is formulated. The proposed model enables us to analyse and compare the outcomes of adopting a cooperative coordination strategy (with a joint pay-off for communities) versus a non-cooperative coordination strategy (with individual payoffs for communities). Other peculiar attributes of the proposed model rest in the addressing of restricted ordering schedules and quantities (due to unavailability of pathways) by advocating nonlinear ordering and distribution costs (to incorporate quantity discounts) achieved through coordinated and/or collective inventories. A real biomass supply chain case study of three northernmost Nunavik communities in Quebec is considered to show the applicability of the model and provide insights for uptake of bioenergy sources in remote off-grid communities.