A concave‐cost production planning problem with remanufacturing options

We focus on the concave‐cost version of a production planning problem where a manufacturer can meet demand by either producing new items or by remanufacturing used items. Unprocessed used items are disposed. We show the NP‐hardness of the problem even when all the costs are stationary. Utilizing the special structure of the extreme‐point optimal solutions for the minimum concave‐cost problem with a network flow type feasible region, we develop a polynomial‐time heuristic for the problem. Our computational study indicates that the heuristic is a very efficient way to solve the problem as far as solution speed and quality are concerned. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2005     

身管武器生产定型时机的量化决策

提出以大型试验批个数来确定身管武器生产定型时机的方法,并依据统计决策与贝叶斯分析方法,结合专家信息与收集的数据,对身管武器生产定型时机作出量化判定,为定型委员会的决策提供理论与数据支持。     

Partial equilibrium in risk‐based production decisions

Characteristically, a small subset of operational problems admit risk neutrality when contingent claims methodology were used in their analysis. That is, for the majority of manufacturing and production problems, operating cash flows are not directly linked to prices of traded assets. However, to the extent that correlations can be estimated, the methodology's applicability to a broader set of operational problems is supported. Our article addresses this issue with the objective of extending the use of contingent claims techniques to a larger set of operational problems. In broad terms, this objective entails a partial equilibrium approach to the problem of valuing uncertain cash flows. To this end, we assume risk aversion and cast our approach within Merton's intertemporal capital asset pricing model. In this context, we formulate a “generic” production valuation model that is framed as an exercise in stochastic optimal control. The model is versatile in its characterization and can easily be adapted to accommodate a wide‐ranging set of risk‐based operational problems where the underlying sources of uncertainty are not traded. To obtain results, the model is recast as a stochastic dynamic program to be solved numerically. The article addresses a number of fundamental issues in the analysis risk based decision problems in operations. First, in the approach provided, decisions are analyzed under a properly defined risk structure. Second, the process of analysis leads to suitably adjusted probability distributions through which, appropriately discounted expectations are derived. Third, through consolidating existing concepts into a standard and adaptable framework, we extend the applicability of contingent claims methodology to a broader set of operational problems. The approach is advantageous as it obviates the need for exogenously specifying utility functions or discount rates.© 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2011