Quantitative Models For Value Based Supply Chain Management

​​​​​​​Supply chain management (SCM) strives for creating competitive advantage and value for customers by integrating business processes from end users through original suppliers. However, the question of how SCM influences the value of a firm is not fully answered. Various conceptual frameworks that explain the coherence of SCM and company value, comprehended as value-based SCM, are well accepted in scientific research, but quantitative approaches to value-based SCM are found rather seldom. The book contributes to this research gap by proposing quantitative models that allow for assessing influences of SCM on the value of a firm. Opposed to existing models that limit the observation to chosen facets of SCM or selected value drivers, this holistic approach is adequate to • reflect configurational and operational aspects of SCM, • cover all phases of the product life cycle, • financially compare value impacts of profitability-related and asset-related value drivers, and • assess influences of dynamics and uncertainties on company value.​

Quantitative models and computer-based tools are essential for making decisions in today's business environment. These tools are of particular importance in the rapidly growing area of supply chain management. This volume is a unified effort to provide a systematic summary of the large variety of new issues being considered, the new set of models being developed, the new techniques for analysis, and the computational methods that have become available recently. The volume's objective is to provide a self-contained, sophisticated research summary - a snapshot at this point of time - in the area of Quantitative Models for Supply Chain Management. While there are some multi-disciplinary aspects of supply chain management not covered here, the Editors and their contributors have captured many important developments in this rapidly expanding field. The 26 chapters can be divided into six categories. Basic Concepts and Technical Material (Chapters 1-6). The chapters in this category focus on introducing basic concepts, providing mathematical background and validating algorithmic tools to solve operational problems in supply chains. Supply Contracts (Chapters 7-10). In this category, the primary focus is on design and evaluation of supply contracts between independent agents in the supply chain. Value of Information (Chapters 11-13). The chapters in this category explicitly model the effect of information on decision-making and on supply chain performance. Managing Product Variety (Chapters 16-19). The chapters in this category analyze the effects of product variety and the different strategies to manage it. International Operations (Chapters 20-22). The three chapters in this category provide an overview of research in the emerging area of International Operations. Conceptual Issues and New Challenges (Chapters 23-27). These chapters outline a variety of frameworks that can be explored and used in future research efforts. This volume can serve as a graduate text, as a reference for researchers and as a guide for further development of this field.

​​​​​​​Supply chain management (SCM) strives for creating competitive advantage and value for customers by integrating business processes from end users through original suppliers. However, the question of how SCM influences the value of a firm is not fully answered. Various conceptual frameworks that explain the coherence of SCM and company value, comprehended as value-based SCM, are well accepted in scientific research, but quantitative approaches to value-based SCM are found rather seldom. The book contributes to this research gap by proposing quantitative models that allow for assessing influences of SCM on the value of a firm. Opposed to existing models that limit the observation to chosen facets of SCM or selected value drivers, this holistic approach is adequate to • reflect configurational and operational aspects of SCM, • cover all phases of the product life cycle, • financially compare value impacts of profitability-related and asset-related value drivers, and • assess influences of dynamics and uncertainties on company value.​

​​​​​​​Supply chain management (SCM) strives for creating competitive advantage and value for customers by integrating business processes from end users through original suppliers. However, the question of how SCM influences the value of a firm is not fully answered. Various conceptual frameworks that explain the coherence of SCM and company value, comprehended as value-based SCM, are well accepted in scientific research, but quantitative approaches to value-based SCM are found rather seldom. The book contributes to this research gap by proposing quantitative models that allow for assessing influences of SCM on the value of a firm. Opposed to existing models that limit the observation to chosen facets of SCM or selected value drivers, this holistic approach is adequate to • reflect configurational and operational aspects of SCM, • cover all phases of the product life cycle, • financially compare value impacts of profitability-related and asset-related value drivers, and • assess influences of dynamics and uncertainties on company value.​

This book addresses decision making in reverse logistics, which concerns the integration of used and obsolete products back into the supply chain as valuable resources. It covers a wide range of aspects, related to distribution, production and inventory management, and supply chain management. For each topic, it highlights key managerial issues in real-life examples and explains which quantitative models are available for addressing them. By treating a broad range of issues in a unified way, the book offers the reader a comprehensive view on the field of reverse logistics.

For reseach in all subjects and among different philisopical paradigms, research methodologies form one of the key issues to rely on. This volume brings a series of papers together, which present different research methodologies as applied in supply chain management. This comprises review oriented papers that look at what kind of methodologies have been applied, as well as methodological papers discussing new developments needed to successfully conduct research in supply chain management. The third group is made up of applications of the respective methodologies, which serve as examples on how the different methodological approaches can be applied. All papers have undergone a review process to ensure their quality. Therefore, we hope that this book will serve as a valid source for current and future researchers in the field. While the workshop on “Research Methodologies in Supply Chain Management” took place at the Supply Chain Management Center, Carl von Ossietzky Univ- sity in Oldenburg, Germany, it is based on a collaboration with the Supply Chain Management Group of the Department of Operations Management at the Cop- hagen Business School and the Department of Production Management at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. We would like to thank all those who contributed to the workshop and this book.

Increasing customer needs, the globalization of markets and the evolution of e-commerce add to the complexity of logistic processes. In today's business, it is well understood that an effective management of logistic processes is impossible without the use of computer-based tools and quantitative methods. This book presents in a systematic way quantitative approaches to distribution logistics and supply chain management. The main orientation of the book is towards practical problem solving, and numerous case studies and practical applications are presented. The topics covered include: supply chain management, revers logistics, e-commerce, facility location and network planning, vehicle routing, warehousing, inventory control.