Logistics Strategy Planning: Modeling and Decision Support Techniques for the 1990s

Modeling and decision support for Logistics Strategy Planning has evolved considerably from the 1960s to the 1990s. Today, Logistics Strategy Modeling is supported by a variety of techniques and computer systems. How each technique can be applied to logistics strategy studies is discussed and a new integrated modeling framework is proposed. The authors have been involved in the development of STRATOVISION, a Decision Support and Modeling System for Logistics Strategy Planning (known in Coopers & Lybrand as LSS‐Vision). Geographic information, object‐oriented philosophy and advanced visual interactive modeling capabilities allow the user to represent a strategic scenario and interact in an intuitive and friendly way. The system includes “what‐if” simulation, heuristics, optimization algorithms and analytic models, which provide visual feedback and interaction to analyst and decision maker.