Title: Inventory planning for a multi-echelon supply chain

Authors: Srikanta Routroy, Prasad Sanisetty

Addresses: Mechanical Engineering Group, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan, 333 031, India. ' TATA Consultancy Services, Chennai, 600 086, India

Abstract: Inventory planning is the significant operational issue in supply chain management. In this paper, a mathematical model is developed for multi-echelon supply chain inventory planning to determine ordering/production quantity and reorder point while minimising the Total Supply Chain Cost (TSCC) (i.e., supply chain inventory capital, supply chain ordering/set-up cost and supply chain inventory stock out cost). Differential Evolution algorithm is used for multi-echelon supply chain inventory planning. One case situation is elucidated in order to reinforce the salient features of the concept. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out to show the effect of input parameters on the TSCC.

Keywords: supply chains; inventory planning; differential evolution algorithms; multi-echelon; operational research.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOR.2007.012853

International Journal of Operational Research, 2007 Vol.2 No.3, pp.269 - 283

Published online: 19 Mar 2007 *

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