Title: Risk analysis for cooperation policies benefits in reducing the bullwhip effect in a telecom supply chain

Authors: Caroline Thierry; Jaouher Mahmoudi; Jacques Lamothe

Addresses: Université Toulouse, IRIT, Département de Mathématiques et Informatique, Université Toulouse 2, 5 allées A. Machado, 31058 Toulouse Cedex, France. ' Université de Toulouse, Mines Albi, Department of Industrial Engineering, Rte de Teillet, 81013 Albi CT Cedex 09, France. ' Université de Toulouse, Mines Albi, Department of Industrial Engineering, Rte de Teillet, 81013 Albi CT Cedex 09, France

Abstract: Supply chain demand is often prone to fluctuations and instability. Known as the 'bullwhip effect', small variations in end-item demand create order and inventory oscillations that amplify from a downstream site to an upstream site. Applying a risk analysis approach, and assuming the bullwhip phenomenon as a constant reality, this paper will present the profits or losses that can accrue from various cooperation policies. The latter are based on planning, information sharing and stock-adjustment strategies adopted by the supply chain actors. The system considered for this research is a four-stage supply chain. To allow risk measures and analysis, a specific discrete-event-simulation system was developed.

Keywords: supply chain cooperation; discrete event simulation; modelling; planning; capacity; risk assessment; bullwhip effect; telecom supply chains; telecommunications; supply chain management; SCM; information sharing; stock adjustment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPM.2011.044770

International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 2011 Vol.6 No.3, pp.218 - 227

Published online: 06 Jan 2012 *

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