Contracts and coordination: Supply chains with uncertain demand and supply

Considering a supply chain with a supplier subject to yield uncertainty selling to a retailer facing stochastic demand, we find that commonly studied classical coordination contracts fail to coordinate both the supplier's production and the retailer's procurement decisions and achieve efficient performance. First, we study the vendor managed inventory (VMI) partnership. We find that a consignment VMI partnership coupled with a production cost subsidy achieves perfect coordination and a win‐win outcome; it is simple to implement and arbitrarily allocates total channel profit. The production cost subsidy optimally chosen through Nash bargaining analysis depends on the bargaining power of the supplier and the retailer. Further, motivated by the practice that sometimes the retailer and the supplier can arrange a “late order,” we also analyze the behavior of an advance‐purchase discount (APD) contract. We find that an APD with a revenue sharing contract can efficiently coordinate the supply chain as well as achieve flexible profit allocation. Finally, we explore which coordination contract works better for the supplier vs. the retailer. It is interesting to observe that Nash bargaining solutions for the two coordination contracts are equivalent. We further provide recommendations on the applications of these contracts. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 305–319, 2016     

Layers of Experiments with Adaptive Combined Design

In the field of nanofabrication, engineers often face unique challenges in resource‐limited experimental budgets, the sensitive nature of process behavior with respect to controllable variables, and highly demanding tolerance requirements. To effectively overcome these challenges, this article proposes a methodology for a sequential design of experiments through batches of experimental runs, aptly named Layers of Experiments with Adaptive Combined Design (LoE/ACD). In higher layers, where process behavior is less understood, experimental regions cover more design space and data points are more spread out. In lower layers, experimental regions are more focused to improve understanding of process sensitivities in a local, data‐rich environment. The experimental design is a combination of a space‐filling and an optimal design with a tuning parameter that is dependent on the amount of information accumulated over the various layers. The proposed LoE/ACD method is applied to optimize a carbon dioxide (epet‐CO2) assisted deposition process for fabricating silver nanoparticles with pressure and temperature variables. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 127–142, 2015     

Single batch machine scheduling with deliveries

We consider the problem of scheduling a set of n jobs on a single batch machine, where several jobs can be processed simultaneously. Each job j has a processing time p_j and a size s_j. All jobs are available for processing at time 0. The batch machine has a capacity D. Several jobs can be batched together and processed simultaneously, provided that the total size of the jobs in the batch does not exceed D. The processing time of a batch is the largest processing time among all jobs in the batch. There is a single vehicle available for delivery of the finished products to the customer, and the vehicle has capacity K. We assume that K = rD, where and r is an integer. The travel time of the vehicle is T; that is, T is the time from the manufacturer to the customer. Our goal is to find a schedule of the jobs and a delivery plan so that the service span is minimized, where the service span is the time that the last job is delivered to the customer. We show that if the jobs have identical sizes, then we can find a schedule and delivery plan in time such that the service span is minimum. If the jobs have identical processing times, then we can find a schedule and delivery plan in time such that the service span is asymptotically at most 11/9 times the optimal service span. When the jobs have arbitrary processing times and arbitrary sizes, then we can find a schedule and delivery plan in time such that the service span is asymptotically at most twice the optimal service span. We also derive upper bounds of the absolute worst‐case ratios in both cases. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 470–482, 2015     

无机化学教学中案例教学法的应用研究

案例教学法是一种历史悠久又常用常新的教学方法,恰当地应用案例教学法对激发学生学习兴趣,增强学生的主体性和学习的主动性有着十分重要的作用,同时,也是讲练结合,学为所用,更好更快提高课堂教学质量的重要方法。通过对无机化学知识体系的剖析和研究,收集筛选多个案例、多个知识点应用案例教学法,对无机化学的教学产生了积极的促进作用。     

基于能源互联网背景的储能二次电池技术发展分析

能源互联网是在现有配电网基础上,融合新能源技术和互联网技术,将分布式能源采集装置和分布式能源储存装置联合发展起来的新技术,对于优化能源结构和提高能源利用具有重要的意义。文章以能源互联网对储能电池的需求为背景,首先归纳了能源互联网对于储能电池的要求,在此基础上重点分析了多种可应用于能源互联网的储能电池的性能与特点,并对其未来发展趋势进行了展望。     

TIME-VARYING CHARACTERISTICS OF SOUTH KOREA-UNITED STATES AND JAPAN-UNITED STATES MILITARY ALLIANCES UNDER CHINESE THREAT: A PUBLIC GOOD APPROACH

This paper investigates the nature of two military alliances under Chinese threat. The findings are as follows: First, South Korea does not consider China a significant threat while Japan and the United States have recognized China as a serious threat since the 1990s and the 2000s, respectively. Second, the relationship between South Korea and the United States is a true military alliance for all time periods, but the nature of the alliance has changed since the 1970s. Third, although Japan began to form an alliance relationship with the United States in the 1990s, Japan is considered a more significant ally by the United States. This paper implies that, should China provoke a military confrontation, it might be difficult to deduce a common solution among the three countries because of the different response to military threats from China.     

Better is the Neighbor?

Abstract

This study applies the Sequential Panel Selection Method (SPSM), to investigate the convergence properties of the military expenditure of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during the period of 1990–2015. Compared to the traditional methods, SPSM considers fundamentally general spatial homogeneous and heterogeneous relationships with countries and examines the evolution of military expenditure. We find that four-fifths of NATO member countries have been convergent with the UK, but no country’s military expenditure is convergent with the US. This means that there is no significant linkage effect in the US for NATO military expenditure. While they are allies of the US, the majority of NATO member countries’ military expenditures are consistent with UK military expenditure. The main reasons are due to the geographical space layout and the international relationship convergence. The results indicate that more than four-fifths of NATO member countries have been coordinated with convergence theory and spillover effect.     

关于雷达角跟踪性能测试方法的探讨

基于雷达跟踪目标最大角速度和角加速度的定义,分析了用雷达跟踪目标最大角速度和角加速度表征雷达跟踪性能的可行性,并对角误差信号的模拟方法进行了讨论。介绍了一个可以测试幅频特性、暂态特性、雷达跟踪目标最大角速度和角加速度的测试系统设计思想。     

现场总线技术在舰船监控系统中的应用

讨论了目前舰艇主要装备监控系统中存在的问题,分析了现场总线技术的优点及其在舰船监控系统中的应用,并以电站实例阐述了其监控系统的基本结构．