A Theory of Supply Chains (Paperback)

1. Introduction.- 1.1 The problem.- 1.2 Terminology and data representation.- 2. Algorithms I Policies.- 2.1 The canonical form: order-based and inventory-based policies.- 2.2 Examples.- 2.3 Anticipative (commitment-based) policies.- 2.4 Flexible commitment policies.- 2.5 Policies for queuing systems and traffic flow.- 3. Algorithmic Properties.- 3.1 Properness.- 3.2 Steady-state properties.- 4. Stability and Monotonicity Requirements.- 4.1 Types of stability.- 4.2 Stability analysis.- 4.3 Interpretation and examples.- 4.4 Some additional properties of linear, order-based policies.- 4.5 Duality: Serial queues and "push chains".- 5. Strongly Stable Policies: The Act Method.- 5.1 The kinematic wave target.- 5.2 Discrete-time approximations of the KW target.- 5.2.1 General Results for Linear Targets.- 5.2.2 The ACT family.- 5.2.3 Properties of the linear ACT policy: linear case and JIT systems.- 5.2.4 Properties of the ACT policy: non-linear case.- 6. Cost Estimation and Optimization.- 6.1 Autonomous user-optimal operation with flexible commitments.- 6.2 Coordinated "system-optimum" operation: Optimization.- 6.2.1 Rigid operation: JIT systems.- 6.2.2 Flexible operation with "system-optimum" bounds.- 7. Discussion.- 7.1 Extensions: Multi-commodity networks.- 7.2 Application issues.- References.- Appendix A: Stability via Control Theory.- Appendix B: Kinematic Wave Theory Revisited.- B.1 Preliminaries.- B.2 The KW Theory Revisited.- B.3 Properties of the procedure.