Purpose – The design of distribution networks is prone to risks due to the uncertainties associated with factors that change over time. The purpose of this paper is to present a new method to identify those factors that the structure of a distribution network is most sensitive to....

The Law of Industrial Dynamics ensures that if a production control system can amplify then it will surely find a way of doing so despite the best efforts of production schedulers to take corrective action. In fact, practical studies show that such human intervention frequently aggravates the...

Describes the use of a decision support system (DSS) in part of a strategic supply chain initiative of an international automotive aftermarket organisation undertaken in 1996‐97. The strategic initiative consisted of four distinct stages; a review of the current state, definition of the future...

It is vital that an enterprise establishes the relative performance of its processes within any market sector. As an enterprise measures and monitors the performance of its competitors’ processes vis‐à‐vis their own, the enterprise can be described as initiating a benchmarking study. This...

Reviews the dynamic operation of supply chains and reaches some simple conclusions for reducing demand amplification, which consequently attenuates swings in both production rates and stock levels. The results are based on one particular supply chain, for which the use of systems simplification...

Purpose – The aim of this article is to provide a concise methodology for the design of a widely used class of decision supply systems (DSS) which will enable precise control of bullwhip variance and inventory variance induced within a supply chain echelon. Design/methodology/approach – The...

Compares the bullwhip properties of a vendor managed inventory (VMI) supply chain with those of a traditional “serially‐linked” supply chain. The emphasis of this investigation is the comparative impact the two structures have on the “bullwhip effect” generated. Particular attention is...

Real world supply chains differ not only in their current standard of performance, but also in the most effective actions required to move each towards world class supply. A generic approach for the identification of the appropriate re‐engineering programmes based on the uncertainty circle...