Scheduling a production–distribution system to optimize the tradeoff between delivery tardiness and distribution cost

We consider a make‐to‐order production–distribution system with one supplier and one or more customers. A set of orders with due dates needs to be processed by the supplier and delivered to the customers upon completion. The supplier can process one order at a time without preemption. Each customer is at a distinct location and only orders from the same customer can be batched together for delivery. Each delivery shipment has a capacity limit and incurs a distribution cost. The problem is to find a joint schedule of order processing at the supplier and order delivery from the supplier to the customers that optimizes an objective function involving the maximum delivery tardiness and the total distribution cost. We first study the solvability of various cases of the problem by either providing an efficient algorithm or proving the intractability of the problem. We then develop a fast heuristic for the general problem. We show that the heuristic is asymptotically optimal as the number of orders goes to infinity. We also evaluate the performance of the heuristic computationally by using lower bounds obtained by a column generation approach. Our results indicate that the heuristic is capable of generating near optimal solutions quickly. Finally, we study the value of production–distribution integration by comparing our integrated approach with two sequential approaches where scheduling decisions for order processing are made first, followed by order delivery decisions, with no or only partial integration of the two decisions. We show that in many cases, the integrated approach performs significantly better than the sequential approaches. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2005     

Attrition through a partially coordinated area defense

An area defense consists of several groups that act independently, i.e., do not communicate with each other. Each group has a fixed number of defenders and a controller that allocates these defenders optimally against the individual attackers comprising an attack. We analyze the effectiveness of this partially coordinated defense against a simultaneous attack of known size in which all attackers are considered to be equally lethal. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2005.     

对消防行政处罚法律依据适用冲突的思考

消防行政处罚是消防执法中大量运用的一种执法行为,在处罚时存在法律依据的适用冲突。对“过失引起火灾,尚未造成严重损失”的消防行政处罚在适用时的法律冲突进行了思考,以便能够更好地执行处罚法定的原则。     

马克思主义哲学研究应关注现实生活

近年来,马克思主义哲学的研究和宣传存在着比较严重的脱离现实、脱离生活、脱离群众的倾向。马克思主义哲学关注现实生活,既是其自身发展的内在要求,也是构建社会主义和谐社会的迫切需要。这就需要在哲学的内容、形式、品格、体系等多方面进行必要的变革。     

高原卫士奉献精神的哲学反思

立足推进人类社会精神文明建设和加强部队思想建设,把高原卫士作为认识对象,运用马克思认识论和实践观,分析高原卫士在特殊环境里所具备的那种高尚品格和生命价值观。在阐述高原卫士奉献精神本质、内涵,及其实践效果的基础上,追问奉献精神产生的双重根源,指出:高原卫士可贵之处是奉献,人类文明需要可贵的奉献精神。     

对高等教育若干问题的思考

目前高等教育中存在的种种弊端,迫使高等教育必须改革。高等教育决不能脱离党的教育方针,要强化世界观和价值观教育,远离社会不良风气的干扰,培养出德智体全面发展的人才。     

论法治进程中的正当程序

法治的实现有赖于法治要素的具备,而正当程序有助于法治要素的满足。法治社会应具有的正当程序理念是:正当程序是对人权的尊重和保护,是实现正义的重要途径,程序正义优先于实体正义。     

公安边防部队士官学历教育浅谈

公安边防部队的士官学历教育尚在起步阶段,任重而道远。各级领导应着眼部队长远建设,确立优先发展的战略地位;应立足部队现实需要,设置学科专业;应根据岗位任职需求,确定课程体系,突出实用性;应适应教学任务的要求,完善管理与保障体系。     

抗日战争时期爱国主义的特点及启示

抗日战争时期爱国主义的主要特点是:爱国力量的空前广泛性;爱国理念的鲜明时代性;爱国内容的明显进步性;爱国斗争的极大彻底性。上述特点给予我们的启示是:爱国主义是振兴中华民族的根本动力,中华儿女要永远高举爱国主义伟大旗帜;爱国主义具有鲜明的时代内容,弘扬爱国主义必须与时俱进;爱国主义具有深刻的内涵,实践爱国主义必须以科学理论为指导。     

实施精品战略 锻造品牌期刊

期刊的传统风格特色是创办品牌、名牌期刊的基础,是其构成要素的一部分。要将期刊办成品牌期刊、名牌期刊,就必须把它过去的风格特色继承下来、传承下去,这是实施精品战略,锻造品牌期刊的基础和前提。论述了品牌期刊的价值构成及要素,并对如何培育锻造品牌期刊作了一些有益的探讨。