Impact of tax reduction policies on consumer purchase of new automobiles: An analytical investigation with real data‐based experiments

We investigate and compare the impact of the tax reduction policies implemented in the United States and China to stimulate consumer purchase of new automobiles and improve manufacturers' profits. The U.S. policy provides each qualifying consumer with a federal income tax deduction on state and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase price (up to a cutoff level), whereas the Chinese policy reduces the vehicle sales tax rate for consumers. We observe that these policy designs are consistent with the tax management system and the economic environment in the respective country. We analytically determine the effects of the two tax reduction policies on the automobile sales and the manufacturer's and the retailer's profits. Numerical examples are then used to provide insights on the importance of certain factors that influence the effects of the two policies. Finally, a numerical experiment with sensitivity analysis based on real data is conducted to compare the merits and characteristics of the two policies under comparable conditions. We find that the U.S. policy is better than the Chinese policy in stimulating the sales of high‐end automobiles, whereas the Chinese policy is better than the U.S. policy in improving the sales of low‐end automobiles. The U.S. policy is slightly more effective in increasing the profitability of the automobile supply chain; but, in general, the Chinese policy is more cost effective. The methodology developed herein can be used to evaluate other tax reduction policies such as those related to the purchase of energy‐saving vehicles and to serve as a decision model to guide the choice of alternative tax reduction policies. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 61: 577–598, 2014     

Optimization of steerable sensor network for threat detection

A Markov chain approach to detecting a threat in a given surveillance zone by a network of steerable sensors is presented. The network has a finite number of predetermined states, and transition from one state to another follows a Markov chain. Under the assumption that the threat avoids detection, two game theoretic problems for finding an optimal Markov chain (two surveillance strategies) are formulated: the first maximizes the probability of threat detection for two consecutive detection periods, whereas the second minimizes the average time of detection for the worst‐case threat's trajectory. Both problems are reduced to linear programming, and special techniques are suggested to solve them. For a dynamic environment with moving noise sources, the optimal Markov chain changes at each detection period, and the rate of convergence of the Markov chain to its stationary distribution is analyzed. Both surveillance strategies are tested in numerical experiments and compared one with another. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2011     

Monitoring the market or the salesperson? The value of information in a multilayer supply chain

We study a supply chain in which a manufacturer relies on a salesperson to sell the products to the consumers. The sales outcome is determined by a random market condition and the salesperson's service level, both of which are privately observed by the salesperson. Apart from them, there are two types of resellers: a knowledgeable reseller observes the market condition, whereas a diligent reseller can monitor the service level. While delegating to a reseller enhances information acquisition, it may also result in double marginalization and inefficiency. We identify several operating regimes in which double marginalization can be eliminated via simple contracts and establish the benefit of monitoring the salesperson over monitoring the market. Our dominance result is not prone to our model characteristics regarding the complementarity of market condition and sales effort, the relative importance of adverse selection and moral hazard, and the contract form. We then generalize our model and re‐establish the dominance result in the presence of reseller's risk aversion or private monitoring expertise. We also quantify the performance gaps among different selling schemes under various scenarios. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2011     

系统动力学的C~4ISR系统信息优势价值链模型仿真

实现信息优势是网络中心战的核心,C4ISR系统是打赢网络中心战、夺取信息优势、决策优势和行动优势的客观基础。从C4ISR系统的工作流程出发,分析了C4ISR系统信息优势价值链,围绕战场态势感知信息优势价值链的生成过程,运用系统动力学方法建立了对抗条件下C4ISR系统信息优势价值链的SD模型,并结合作战背景对试验结果进行了仿真分析,验证了该方法研究复杂军事信息系统的可行性。     

MD5的一种新的碰撞攻击

模差分分析是结合整数模减差分和XOR差分而定义的一种新的差分,与单一的模减差分或XOR差分相比,2种差分结合能表达更多的消息,从而可以更有效地分析、破解现有的哈希函数.MD5是哈希函数的一种,对消息的差分分析是对哈希函数实施碰撞攻击的重要手段,从目前已知的基于差分技术的攻击事实看,主要采用的是6比特差分和1比特差分.提...     

Inducing coordination in supply chains through linear reward schemes

Decentralized decision‐making in supply chain management is quite common, and often inevitable, due to the magnitude of the chain, its geographical dispersion, and the number of agents that play a role in it. But, decentralized decision‐making is known to result in inefficient Nash equilibrium outcomes, and optimal outcomes that maximize the sum of the utilities of all agents need not be Nash equilibria. In this paper we demonstrate through several examples of supply chain models how linear reward/penalty schemes can be implemented so that a given optimal solution becomes a Nash equilibrium. The examples represent both vertical and horizontal coordination issues. The techniques we employ build on a general framework for the use of linear reward/penalty schemes to induce stability in given optimal solutions and should be useful to other multi‐agent operations management settings. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2006     

基于供应链管理的战时装备供应保障业务流程重组

从战时装备供应链管理的要素和相互关系出发,结合我军实际,提出了基于供应链的战时装备供应保障业务流程重组过程,并对相关方法进行了讨论,旨在使战时所需装备以可预见的方式快速、安全、准确地送抵到作战部队。     

快速边缘跟踪与边界链码的获取

本文首先讨论了边缘跟踪的常用方法,并指出了其存在的缺点,而后提出了虚象点与虚链的概念,并讨论了它们的性质。在此基础上,提出了快速边缘跟踪的算法和边界链码的获取。     

炮兵群自动化指挥系统决策组织结构的 Petri 网建模与性能分析

对炮兵自动化指挥系统中决策组织的结构和能力进行了研究,建立了较为完善的各级指挥员指挥决策体系的Ｐｅｔｒｉ网模型。通过有色Ｐｅｔｒｉ网对群一级的炮兵自动化指挥系统在不同任务环境下的不同工作方式进行了建模表示和分析,引入了决策时延这一反应指挥决策体系能力的重要性能指标,并进一步运用马尔科夫链的分析方法对建立的指挥决策体系的Ｐｅｔｒｉ网模型进行定量分析,得出了量化结果,为自动化指挥系统中决策组织结构的设计和分析提供了理论根据。     

Transshipment through crossdocks with inventory and time windows

A major challenge in making supply meet demand is to coordinate transshipments across the supply chain to reduce costs and increase service levels in the face of demand fluctuations, short lead times, warehouse limitations, and transportation and inventory costs. In particular, transshipment through crossdocks, where just‐in‐time objectives prevail, requires precise scheduling between suppliers, crossdocks, and customers. In this work, we study the transshipment problem with supplier and customer time windows where flow is constrained by transportation schedules and warehouse capacities. Transportation is provided by fixed or flexible schedules and lot‐sizing is dealt with through multiple shipments. We develop polynomial‐time algorithms or, otherwise, provide the complexity of the problems studied. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2005