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     

The single and multi‐item transshipment problem with fixed transshipment costs

This article deals with supply chain systems in which lateral transshipments are allowed. For a system with two retailers facing stochastic demand, we relax the assumption of negligible fixed transshipment costs, thus, extending existing results for the single‐item case and introducing a new model with multiple items. The goal is to determine optimal transshipment and replenishment policies, such that the total centralized expected profit of both retailers is maximized. For the single‐item problem with fixed transshipment costs, we develop optimality conditions, analyze the expected profit function, and identify the optimal solution. We extend our analysis to multiple items with joint fixed transshipment costs, a problem that has not been investigated previously in the literature, and show how the optimality conditions may be extended for any number of items. Due to the complexity involved in solving these conditions, we suggest a simple heuristic based on the single‐item results. Finally, we conduct a numerical study that provides managerial insights on the solutions obtained in various settings and demonstrates that the suggested heuristic performs very well. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 61: 637–664, 2014     

Computational complexity of finding Pareto efficient outcomes for biobjective lot‐sizing models

In this article, we study a biobjective economic lot‐sizing problem with applications, among others, in green logistics. The first objective aims to minimize the total lot‐sizing costs including production and inventory holding costs, whereas the second one minimizes the maximum production and inventory block expenditure. We derive (almost) tight complexity results for the Pareto efficient outcome problem under nonspeculative lot‐sizing costs. First, we identify nontrivial problem classes for which this problem is polynomially solvable. Second, if we relax any of the parameter assumptions, we show that (except for one case) finding a single Pareto efficient outcome is an ‐hard task in general. Finally, we shed some light on the task of describing the Pareto frontier. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 61: 386–402, 2014     

信息系统体系作战弹药保障能力评估

弹药信息化是武器装备信息化的重要组成部分,直接影响战斗力的生成。如何分析、评估保障单位在信息系统体系作战弹药信息化保障能力的建设水平,对我军信息化建设至关重要。在分析影响弹药信息化保障能力形成的主要因素的基础上,构建了符合我军弹药信息化保障能力特点的评估指标体系,提出了一种基于主成分和集对分析法综合分析的基于信息系统体系作战弹药信息化保障能力评估方法,通过该方法可求得指标权重,最终获得被评估单位弹药信息化保障能力的整体建设水平。结合实例分析,验证构建的评估模型能够用于我军基于信息系统体系作战弹药信息化保障能力的评估,进一步为如何提高弹药信息化保障能力提供技术指导。     

基于集对-层次分析法的合成部队作战能力分析

为科学评估合成部队战斗力水平,在准确量化作战行动的基础上,设计定义了39个作战能力最小数据集,抽象出快速反应、情报侦察、指挥控制等11种专题作战能力评价体系。以该标准采集的数据为样本, 运用集对-层次分析法实现了合成部队作战能力的综合评估。最后以火力打击能力评估模型为例,验证了该方法的有效性实用性。     

联合机动编队多源信息感知网络价值分析

为了真正认清联合机动编队多源信息感知网络的理论价值,按照复杂网络理论的网络连接方式,定性分析了多源信息感知系统的网络拓扑结构,并应用小世界模型(WS)建立了多源信息感知网络价值增益模型,然后进行了实例仿真分析.研究结论对联合机动编队多源信息感知网络的建设与运用有一定的启示.     

基于粗糙集和TOPSIS的弹药目标匹配研究

针对多种弹药打击同一目标的弹种选取顺序问题,即弹药目标匹配顺序问题,从弹药毁伤和目标抗毁伤机理人手,构建弹药目标匹配指标体系,利用粗糙集理论约简弹药目标匹配指标体系并确定指标的客观权重,运用加权TOPSIS确定弹药目标综合匹配顺序,为最优火力分配决策提供了理论依据。     

基于直觉模糊集的ELECTRE方法

结合直觉模糊集的信息表达优势和ELECTRE方法的思想,提出了一种直觉模糊多属性决策的新方法。利用直觉模糊熵对直觉模糊信息价值的刻画,构建了熵权与专家权重的组合权重。阐述了直觉模糊ELECTRE方法的决策原理和步骤,并经过实例应用,验证了该方法的可行性与有效性。     

测速定位系统的研究

测速定位系统是高速磁浮列车牵引和运行控制基础,与轮轨列车的系统相比,存在着如悬浮间隙波动、长定子轨道接缝及非接触式绝对位置读码等可能影响系统正常运行的特殊问题.为了降低悬浮波动对相对位置检测的影响,提出了利用悬浮间隙归一化处理相对位置检测信号的方法,使输出统一变换为8mm悬浮间隙下的信号,达到了磁极相角精度2.8°的检...     

基于一般二元关系的不确定性度量方法研究

针对一般二元关系,从知识的区分能力角度提出一种带有可调节参数的新的不确定性度量-α熵,给出了其在一般二元关系下的重要性质,指出一般二元关系下的α熵是现有多种不确定性度量的扩展,统一了完备和不完备信息系统中知识的不确定性度量.结合知识的α熵,给出了一般二元关系下粗糙集的α精度和α粗糙度的定义,证明了α精度、α粗糙度和知识...