Supply Chain Simulation Research Articles

Disruption evaluation in end-to-end semiconductor supply chains via interpretable machine learning

COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenges to global health and the world economy. Two years into the pandemic, the widespread impact of COVID-19 continues to deepen, impacting different industries such as the automotive industry and its supply chain. This study presents a hybrid approach combining simulation modeling and tree-based supervised machine learning techniques to explore the implications of end-market demand disruptions. Specifically, we apply the concept of born-again tree ensembles, which are powerful and, at the same time, easily interpretable classifiers, to the case of the semiconductor industry. First, we show how to use born-again tree ensembles to explore data generated by a supply chain simulation model. To this end, we demonstrate the influence of varying behavioral and structural parameters and show the impact of their variation on specific key performance indicators, e.g., the inventory level. Finally, we leverage a counterfactual analysis to identify detailed managerial insights for semiconductor companies to mitigate adverse impacts on one echelon or the entire supply chain. Our hybrid approach provides a simulation model enhanced by a tree-based supervised machine learning model that companies can use to determine optimal measures for mitigating the adverse effects of end-market demand disruptions. We close the loop of our analysis by integrating the findings of the counterfactual analysis backward into the simulation model to understand the overall dynamics within the multi-echelon supply chain.

Robust Optimization Design of Supply Chain Based on Correlated Multi-Performance Responses

Aiming at the problem of supply chain robust optimization with multiple performance responses, a robust optimization method was proposed by combining principal component analysis with double response surface method based on Kriging meta-model. Firstly, through principal component analysis, the location characteristics and divergence characteristics of multiple related performance responses were transformed into the principal component comprehensive score of supply chain performance; secondly, the Kriging metamodels of location characteristics and divergence characteristics of multiple performance responses were constructed respectively, and the principal component comprehensive score model of comprehensive performance based on Kriging meta-model was constructed. Thus the optimal operating conditions by optimizing the constructed robust optimization strategy were obtained in order to realize the robust optimization of supply chain system with correlated multiple responses. Finally, a supply chain simulation case was given to illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed optimization method, and the robustness of different methods was also discussed. The comparison results showed that our proposed was more robust.

Improving supply chain efficiency through simulations : Literature and methodological review

Increased competition, efficiency and profit orientation largely determine the operation of today’s companies. While the XX. In the twentieth century, the emphasis was on mass production, large batch numbers, and economies of scale, until today, consumer demand has shifted significantly toward individualized products and services. The consumer expects almost perfect quality, reasonable price and immediately available stocks. That is why it is necessary to tailor the supply chain to the needs of consumers as perfectly as possible. Every small change in the way a company operates can have different effects that managers need to respond to immediately. In a company where there is some flow of auxiliary fuels, semi-finished or finished products, the proper design of the supply chain is a focal point that largely determines its operation and efficiency, as logistics costs significantly affect the consumer prices of products and services. The solid foundation of my topic is provided by the logistics knowledge and the supply chain management that extends it, which already examines the entire supply chain instead of one player at a time. A XXI. The development of information and IT in the 21st century makes it possible to apply new approaches in this field as well and to develop an approach in which we do not assess the effects of changes in retrospect, but prepare for them in advance. In my research work, the optimization of logistics activities through simulation is the focus. The simulation has been an integral part of technical sports and engineering work for many years, this methodology is not yet used in the field of supply chain management, which would provide an opportunity to analyze the effects of changes without risk and would be a tool for companies to model and measure their activities. And measurability would provide an opportunity for correction and improvement, which plays an essential role in increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Based on this line of reasoning, I believe that the combination of supply chain management and simulation holds untapped potentials. In my article, I will review the currently known and useful simulation methodologies, which shows the processing of the issue and the prevalence of the methodologies.

Blockchain-Based Wine Supply Chain for the Industry Advancement

The wine sector is one of the most ‘amazing’ and significant agri-food sectors worldwide since ancient times, considering revenue or employment as well as health aspects. This article aims to describe the impact of the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) in the wine supply chain. After the literature review, the study is based on Agent Based Models (ABMs) and carried out by the GAMA program. Then, the model and simulation of BCT wine supply chain is designed. Finally, the paper compares traditional and BCT-based supply chains, and the advantages of the last one are evident. Blockchain is a useful tool to ensure a traceability system and to protect the production from any type of fraud and contamination.

Vaccine supply chains in resource-limited settings: Mitigating the impact of rainy season disruptions

Immunization is widely recognized as one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions, preventing two to three million deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases each year. Although progress has been made in recent years, substantial operational challenges persist in resource-limited settings with frequent stock-outs contributing to sub-optimal immunization coverage and inequality in vaccine access. In this paper, we investigate the role of rainy season induced supply chain disruptions on vaccination coverage and inequalities. We develop a modeling framework combining spatial modeling—to predict flood disruptions in road networks—and a discrete-event simulation of a multi-tiered vaccine supply chain (VSC). Our models are fitted using data from the Malagasy VSC network and validated to the best extent possible with scarce data. Our baseline simulation predicts the national vaccination coverage with good accuracy and suggests that 67% of regions with low reported immunization coverage are affected by rainy season disruptions or operational inefficiencies, causing significant geographical inequalities in vaccine access. We investigate various mitigation strategies to increase the resiliency of VSCs and find that, by strategically placing buffer inventory at targeted facilities prior to the rainy season, the proportion of children receiving all basic vaccines in these areas is increased by 8% and the geographical inequality in vaccination coverage between areas affected and not affected by the rainy season is reduced by 11%. By also increasing the replenishment frequency from every third month to every month, the national vaccination coverage improves by 41%. Our results contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing actionable insights for improving vaccination coverage (SDG 3) and investigating the resiliency of the VSC to increased flooding due to climate change (SDG 13).

Performance of Thermal Insulation Covering Materials to Reduce Postharvest Losses in Okra

The efficiency of different thermal insulation covers in minimizing temperature fluctuations in cool chain management was investigated to reduce postharvest loss and maintain okra quality during storage and transportation. The four thermal insulation covering materials: (1) heat reflective sheet with thin nonwoven (HRS + TNNW), (2) heat reflective sheet with thick nonwoven (HRS + TKNW), (3) metalized Tyvek® (MTyvek) and (4) metalized foam sheet (MFS) were studied and compared with perforated linear low-density polyethylene (P-LLDPE) as the typical handing package for okra distribution alongside no covering as the control. The material properties, transpiration rate, vital heat, temperature profiles (air and pulp temperatures), relative humidity, mass loss and incidence of decay were determined throughout a simulated supply chain. Results exhibited that HRS + TNNW and HRS + TKNW covers had the lowest thermal heat energy (Qx) and moderate R-value. These two covers maintained low temperature fluctuation with the lowest rate of air and pulp temperature changes, reflecting in lowest mass loss and decay in okra. The HRS + TNNW cover yielded less decay (1%) in okra, compared to commercial covers; MTyvek (16%) and MFS (9%). Results showed that HRS + TNNW exhibited great potential as a thermal insulation cover to reduce postharvest loss in okra (5%) compared to typical handling (11–18%) and could be considered as alternative material to reduce the use of foam sheets in cool chain management distribution packaging of okra under ambient environment conditions.

Regional differences in the effect of interpersonal relationship on trust and trustworthiness in China.

Guanxi, which literally means interpersonal relationship or social connections, plays an important role in achieving business success in China. This study investigates the effect of interpersonal relationship on trust and trustworthiness in four regions in China. Eighty pairs of close friends participated in the experiment: 20 pairs from Beijing, 20 pairs from Guangdong, 20 pairs from Shanghai, and 20 pairs from Chongqing. A cooperation experiment based on a two-tier simulated supply chain was conducted, in which the participant who played as a supplier solicited demand forecast information from the participant who played as a retailer to plan production. Participants were instructed to perform two tasks: one with a "friend" counterpart and one with a "stranger" counterpart. The results demonstrated regional differences in the effects of interpersonal relationship on trust and trustworthiness: the effect of interpersonal relationship was greater in Guangdong than in the other regions. Additionally, a quantified classification of trustworthiness-trust was proposed by clustering analysis. The type of self-protective trustworthiness and altruistic trust occupied an overwhelming majority in each region, followed by the type of altruistic trustworthiness and self-protective trust, the type of altruistic trustworthiness and altruistic trust, and the type of self-protective trustworthiness and self-protective trust. Regional differences in the distribution proportions in the four types were discovered.

Apple fruit deterioration by fungal decays as a function of temperature in post-storage supply chain simulation

ISHS V International Symposium on Postharvest Pathology: From Consumer to Laboratory-Sustainable Approaches to Managing Postharvest Pathogens Apple fruit deterioration by fungal decays as a function of temperature in post-storage supply chain simulation

The case for applying systems thinking to global supply chain management

‘Systems thinking’ is an engineering discipline designed to improve the performance of any type of system by leveraging the interactions that take place between its component parts. Because it focuses on the interdependencies that exist among the elements that comprise a system’s structure, as well as the feedback loops that occur within it, systems thinking is ideal for application to the field of supply chain management. Whereas the principles of systems thinking can be seen in supply chain simulations such as ‘the beer game’, its use has not kept up with the complexities inherent in globalisation. It is the objective of this paper to reintroduce systems thinking to global trade professionals and demonstrate how the application of its tenets to supply chain management can yield order-of-magnitude advances in operational outcomes, supplier relations, customer satisfaction, corporate citizenship and financial results.

A colored petri net-based modeling method for supply chain inventory management

Supply chain planning and control approaches need to include a wide range of factors in order to optimize production. Supply chain simulation modeling has been identified as a potential methodology toward increasing the efficiency of current systems to this end. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of inventory management decisions on supply chain performance using a Colored Petri Net based simulation modeling method. The presented method uses hierarchical timed Colored Petri Nets to model inventory management in a multi-stage serial supply chain, under normal operating conditions, and under the presence of disruptions, for both traditional and information sharing configurations. Disruptions are introduced as canceled orders and canceled deliveries, in a time period. Supply chain performance has been evaluated, in the context of order variance amplification and stockout amplification. Validation of the method is done by comparing results obtained for the bullwhip effect with published literature results, as well as by state space analysis results.

Distributed Approaches to Supply Chain Simulation

The field of Supply Chain Management (SCM ) is experiencing rapid strides in the use of Industry 4.0 technologies and the conceptualization of new supply chain configurations for online retail, sustainable and green supply chains, and the Circular Economy. Thus, there is an increasing impetus to use simulation techniques such as discrete-event simulation, agent-based simulation, and hybrid simulation in the context of SCM. In conventional supply chain simulation, the underlying constituents of the system like manufacturing, distribution, retail, and logistics processes are often modelled and executed as a single model. Unlike this conventional approach, a distributed supply chain simulation (DSCS) enables the coordinated execution of simulation models using specialist software. To understand the current state-of-the-art of DSCS, this paper presents a methodological review and categorization of literature in DSCS using a framework-based approach. Through a study of over 130 articles, we report on the motivation for using DSCS, the modelling techniques, the underlying distributed computing technologies and middleware, its advantages and a future agenda, and also limitations and trade-offs that may be associated with this approach. The increasing adoption of technologies like Internet-of-Things and Cloud Computing will ensure the availability of both data and models for distributed decision-making, which is likely to enable data-driven DSCS of the future. This review aims to inform organizational stakeholders, simulation researchers and practitioners, distributed systems developers and software vendors, as to the current state-of-the art of DSCS, and which will inform the development of future DSCS using new applied computing approaches.

Environmental sustainability through designing reverse logistical loops: case research of poultry supply chains using system dynamics

PurposePoultry production supply chains produce substantial wastes that are transformable into favorable environmental outcomes and profitable products. While overwhelming evidence supports this conclusion, scant literature is available on how such transformations are doable. Using systems dynamics, this study addresses this research gap in a national (Bangladesh) context. This study aims to contribute an integrated model for poultry supply chains that incorporate reverse flows of wastes using system dynamics (SD) engineering with empirical simulations.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies SD and simulations of alternative supply chains with versus without reverse loops that transform wastes into viable products in poultry production and downstream marketing operations. This research reports on an in-depth case study of systems thinking and use of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology systems dynamics software. Data for the study are longitudinal and come from written operation records and extensive, repeated, one-on-one Interview from a large poultry plant operation in Bangladesh.FindingsThis study finds that several current poultry waste production problems are solvable through an integrated approach that generates viable new marketable products with substantial profitable opportunities that also contributes to reductions in industrial pollution. This study confirms that forward, backward and reverse supply chains need to be under one umbrella system to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits.Research limitations/implicationsThis study’s SD model and outputs need additional applications in poultry supply chains in multiple countries. Applying the firm-level model that this study provides is a necessary but insufficient step toward empirical confirmation through replicating.

Behavioral pitfalls of product proliferation in supply chains: An experimental study

ABSTRACTWe study how increased complexity in terms of increased stock‐keeping units and/or markets can affect operational performance, with an emphasis on managerial decision‐making. Specifically, when given the option to increase profits by increasing the number of markets served, we ask whether managers can increase profits by exercising this option or does increased complexity become a burden? We conduct a human‐subjects experiment in which subjects manage a simulated supply chain across different levels of complexity, either as individuals or as part of a team. Subjects receive initial training in supply chain management and participate twice in the simulation—once as an individual and once as a team, while also varying complexity across trials. We show that as complexity increases, revenues also increase. However, average performance often deteriorates and many subjects destroy value, despite the increased opportunities for profit. We argue that managers are tempted to chase new revenue sources without understanding the costs or risks to future profits. In a follow‐up experiment, we show that when subjects are reminded about the importance of opportunity costs, revenue declines but earnings are the same or higher. Lastly, our experiments show that both teamwork and experience increase performance and reduce the variance of earnings. Experienced teams make better investment decisions. Less experienced individuals focus on revenue rather than earnings.

Setting the Stage: Initial Socio-Emotional Communication and Performance in Cross-Functional Teams

Effective cross-functional integration is characterized by complex interactions during project work in supply chain management. We draw from a socio-emotional communication framework and team development models to carve out that socio-emotional communication constitutes a double-edged sword in setting the stage for team performance development. Specifically, in the light of unequivocal prior research findings regarding this topic, we pose the question of whether team members’ reactions to socio-emotional statements may be the reason that some cross-functional teams succeed and others fail. We used sophisticated interaction coding to capture early communication patterns of 33 teams (N = 134) as well as their performance development over six meetings of a supply chain simulation. Using latent growth modeling, we found that the amount of socio-emotional communication in the first meeting negatively impacts overall team performance. However, running sequential analytical models revealed that unsuccessful teams reacted upon socio-emotional communication with dysfunctional remarks and task-oriented contributions, while successful teams only showed task-oriented reactions, and more profoundly increased team performance over different rounds. Operations managers should be sensitized about the possible detrimental effects of unthoughtful handling of socio-emotional chitchat in cross-functional teams.

RESOURCE UTILIZATION ANALYSIS OF HIGHWAY PROJECTS USING ARENA

The construction sector is a significant contributor to the Gross Domestic Product of a developing country. Infrastructure improvement plays a vital role in this wherein highway construction is a dynamic sector requiring proper planning and scheduling multiple resources. Appropriate integration among various associated stakeholders is essential for a project’s success, aided by supply chain management. Resource planning is one of the basic concepts in supply chain management, with material and equipment management being the critical area. The main objective of this study is to develop a conceptual supply chain simulation model using ARENA, to analyze the equipment idling and utilization rate, keeping inter-arrival time for dispatch, the number of equipment, and working hours as constant. This model employs the real-time ‘best fit’ material utilization data as input. Material utilization data collected from 62 construction projects are analyzed to arrive at a ‘best fit’ probability distribution. This study’s conceptual supply chain simulation model helps formulate suitable material and equipment delivery plans to lessen risk in construction projects.

Additive manufacturing for customized hearing aid parts production: an empirical study

ABSTRACT The recent supply chain networks that utilize traditional manufacturing processes in their flow are hereafter referred to as Traditional Supply Chain Networks (TSCN). In fact, these TSCNs achieve a fair degree of customization through parts standardization in parts and product range with available specific customized parts. Yet, true customization remains unattainable in TSCNs, at least in terms of economy of scale. 3D printing integration in supply chains can make them truly agile by offering product customizations only on necessity, thereby eliminating the need for producing unwanted parts. The proposed research study investigates the logistical implications of integrating Additive Manufacturing (AM) in the healthcare industry supply chain, and examines the impacts and subsequent results obtained by simulation analysis. The resultant supply chain is referred to as 3DPSCN (3D Printing integrated Supply Chain Network). Simulation models of the related healthcare supply chains, both Traditional (TSCN) and 3D printing integrated (3DPSCN), are developed using data gathered from available resources and real-time observations. Ultimately, a comparative study is done by simulation analysis. The main contribution of this paper is to propose of an optimized supply chain simulation model that incorporates AM in the manufacturing of a hearing aid prosthetic. The results of the analysis elaborate the benefits obtainable such as lead-time reduction, waste reduction, and number of customers served.

Sensory and Physicochemical Quality, Residual Fungicide Levels and Microbial Load in 'Florida Radiance' Strawberries from Different Disease Control Treatments Exposed to Simulated Supply Chain Conditions.

Strawberries are greatly appreciated for their flavor and health-promoting properties. However, current agricultural and postharvest handling practices may result in decreased fruit quality. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of conventional or reduced fungicide applications on the quality of ‘Florida Radiance’ strawberries exposed to supply chain conditions. Strawberries held under steady temperature had better sensory and physicochemical quality than fruit exposed to supply chain conditions, regardless of the disease control treatment. Strawberries from the reduced fungicide treatment were firmer, lost less moisture, had higher sugar and higher or similar bioactive contents than fruit from the conventional treatment. Sensory scores were better for reduced fungicide fruit held under steady temperature conditions than other treatments at the consumer level. Microbial load increased during the supply chain but results strongly suggest that washing the fruit significantly reduces the microbial load and residual fungicide levels (fludioxonil, cyprodinil, pyraclostrobin, and captan) on the fruit. Overall, the use of reduced fungicide applications to control strawberry disease constitutes a promising alternative to conventional practices. It will help reduce costs by reducing labor and the amount of fungicides used while maintaining overall strawberry quality. Moreover, avoiding abusive and fluctuating temperature conditions during the supply chain will extend shelf-life and reduce strawberry waste.

Risk-oriented simulation of the long logistics supply chains in developing enterprises

The paper defines and solves the urgent problem of research of long logistics supply chains in developing enterprises. Due to the distribution of the production system as well as to the presence of a large number of remote suppliers of materials, raw materials and components supply plans are threatened. Supply disruptions in their turn may affect the plans of the main production resulting in possible fines, economic losses, and disruptions in supply of manufactured articles to the markets of high-tech and science-intensive products. To study threats and vulnerabilities in supply logistics the risk-oriented approach that considers potential threats using past statistics and expert assessments has been proposed. The objective of the paper is to develop a risk-oriented method to study the existing threats and assess their impact on the vulnerabilities of the logistics chains of the distributed production system. Due to the complexity of the problematic logistics task, the study is conducted in three different stages: development of the method to simulate the risks in long supply chains; identification of possible bottlenecks in the transport system of supply logistics; threat simulation and vulnerability analysis in supply logistics. To model the risks, an agent model is used, in which the accumulation of risks is carried out by passing orders in the transport system. To simulate bottlenecks, a simulation event model is used, in which large queues that occur in the transport system are analyzed. A stochastic simulation model is used to model threats and vulnerabilities. The new scientific results are risk-oriented method of long logistics supply chains simulation; simulation of supply logistics threats and vulnerabilities. Mathematical methods used: risk theory; simulation event modeling; agent modeling; queuing theory. The proposed approach as a set of developed simulation models should be used to plan the supply of developing production.

Retaining red bell pepper quality by perforated compostable packaging.

Retail packages are widely used to preserve pepper fruit quality. However, due to the negative impact of conventional plastics on the environment there is an urgent need to replace these packaging materials with recyclable or compostable alternatives. Hereby, we evaluated the effects of compostable modified atmosphere packages with different perforation rates on keeping the quality of red bell pepper fruit during extended shelf life and simulated supply chain conditions. The results indicated that micro‐perforated (µP) compostable packages creating an atmosphere of 15%–18% O2 and 2%–5% CO2, as well as macro‐perforated (MP) compostable packages creating an atmosphere of 20%–21% O2 and 0.1%–0.5% CO2, effectively retained red bell pepper quality by reducing fruit weight loss, shriveling and softening, and by retaining flavor acceptance and visual appearance. On the other hand, nonperforated compostable packages resulted in the creation of anaerobic conditions (O2 < 1% and CO2 > 9%), and harmed produce quality as manifested by enhanced softening, decay, peel damage, and off‐flavors. Overall, µP and MP compostable packages extended pepper fruit shelf life from 1 week to 3 weeks under continuous shelf life conditions, and from 2 weeks to 4 weeks under simulated supply chain and refrigerated storage conditions.

Blueberry supply chain: Critical steps impacting fruit quality and application of a boosted regression tree model to predict weight loss

Blueberries have increased in popularity in recent years due to their nutritional benefits and sensory characteristics. However, to preserve quality and extend shelf-life, they need to be maintained at refrigerated temperatures and high relative humidity, conditions that are not routinely met along the supply chain. Poor temperature management leads to quality deterioration, increasing waste/losses along the supply chain. This study examined the impact of each step along the supply chain on the physichochemical quality and shelf-life of blueberries, identifying the most critical steps from field to consumption. The following steps were identified as critical in the blueberry supply chain: shipping to distribution centre (DC) (72 h at 5 °C), store display (48 h at 15 °C), and consumer (48 h at 20 °C). Given the economic importance of weight loss and its link to fruit quality and shelf-life, a boosted regression tree (BRT) model was built to predict weight loss using the post-harvest environmental conditions of a simulated supply chain applying different temperature-time scenarios. The model explained 84 % of the variance on the test set and highlighted the interactions of supply chain conditions on weight loss.