Pricing and inventory management during new product introduction when shortage creates hype

In this study, we analyze the joint pricing and inventory management during new product introduction when product shortage creates additional demand due to hype. We develop a two‐period model in which a firm launches its product at the beginning of the first period, before it observes sales in the two periods. The product is successful with an exogenous probability, or unsuccessful with the complementary probability. The hype in the second period is observed only when the product is successful. The firm learns the actual status of the product only after observing the first‐period demand. The firm must decide the stocking level and price of the product jointly at the beginning of each of the two periods. In this article, we derive some structural properties of the optimal prices and inventory levels, and show that (i) firms do not always exploit hype, (ii) firms do not always increase the price of a successful product in the second period, (iii) firms may price out an unsuccessful product in the first period if the success probability is above a threshold, and (iv) such a threshold probability is decreasing in the first‐period market potential of the successful product. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 304–320, 2015     

Retailer's rationale to refuse consumer returns in supply chains

While accepting consumer returns has long been proposed as a solution to resolve the consumer valuation uncertainty problem, there are still a sizable portion of retailers who insist on a “no return” policy. In this article, we offer an economic rationale for these seemingly unreasonable strategies in a supply chain context. We demonstrate when and why the retailer may benefit from refusing consumer returns, even though offering consumer returns allows the supply chain to implement the expostmarket segmentation. Granting the retailer the right to refuse consumer returns may sometimes improve supply chain efficiency: it eliminates the manufacturer's attempt to induce inefficient consumer returns and bring the equilibrium back to that in the vertically integrated benchmark. We also find that the refund and the retail price can move in the opposite directions when product reliability varies, and consumer returns have a nontrivial impact on the quality choice. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 686–701, 2015     

Smart Power and Military Force: An Introduction

Abstract

Smart power is comprised of two elements: the quest for building society among states and between states and non-state actors; as well as the desire for cleaner forms of power projection. This special issue explores how states continue to fumble over achieving the optimum mix of hard and soft power across several country cases and themed articles. This set of contributions suggests that smart power is not unlike a ‘Swiss Army Knife’ analogy: multifunctional and challenging to choose the right combination of ideational and material tools.     

改进柔性资源约束项目调度模型与粒子群算法

在资源受限项目调度问题中,将可再生资源进一步拓展为具有能力差异的柔性资源,建立考虑能力差异的柔性资源受限的多模式项目调度问题模型,该模型是对传统资源约束项目调度问题(RCPSP)更接近实际的拓展。提出了基于粒子群算法的求解算法,粒子群算法求解该模型的思路为,利用蒙特卡洛方法根据资源-能力矩阵与活动模式-能力矩阵得到活动模式-资源矩阵,将考虑能力差异的柔性资源受限的多模式项目调度问题转换为常规的多模式项目调度问题,然后利用基于任务序列与模式表示的粒子群算法对该多模式项目调度问题进行求解。用数值实例说明了模型的合理性与算法的有效性。     

一种基于目标的雷达对抗侦察策略

传统的电子战接收系统的搜索方式主要针对参数完全未知的敌方信号,通过在频域、空域等各维度进行大范围的逐段重复搜索可在较长时间内获得较好的侦察效果,但不适合短时间内对特定目标群的搜索和验证。针对电子战接收机存在的盲目侦察接收、与作战目标结合不紧密等问题,提出了一种基于作战目标的侦察策略,能够智能引导超外差接收机进行搜索截获,有效提升了超外差接收机对重点目标的实时截获与准确识别能力。     

基于配置管理的软件维护性评估

对软件质量进行定量化管理是软件工程领域的趋势,也是软件质量保证的重要手段。针对软件维护性定量评估难、数据获取难的问题,分析了软件维护性受配置管理关键要素的影响,提出利用配置管理数据对软件维护性间接评估的方法。结合软件工程开发实际,建立了配置管理数据收集过程,利用维护时间作为参数,统计5类功能点维护时间对软件维护性进行度量,实现了软件维护性的定量评估,并利用实际项目对方法的可行性和有效性进行了验证。     

Disaster management in case of CBRNe events: an innovative methodology to improve the safety knowledge of advisors and first responders

Nowadays, Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Nuclear-explosive (CBRNe) risks are one of the world's main safety concerns. The radiological disasters of Fukushima and Chernobyl, the chemical events of Seveso or the release of Sarin in the Tokyo Subway, the biological emergencies such as the H1N1 flu or the recent Ebola outbreak, and recent news about the availability of non-conventional weapons acquired by fundamentalist organisations represent evidence of potential future threats. CBRNe risks are a real and global threat. The University of Rome, Tor Vergata, in collaboration with the most important Italian and international bodies working in the field of CBRNe safety and security, and supported by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, organises International Masters Courses on the Protection against CBRNe events. Within this framework, a Table-Top Exercise was planned, in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defence. The scenario, the logistic organisation, on-going adjustments during the exercise and the outcomes are presented here and analysed.     

舰船研制的风险管理与合同形式分析

首先介绍了美国海军在舰船研制中常用的几种基本合同形式,然后对采用不同的合同形式时军地双方所承担的风险大小等问题进行了分析与讨论,最后针对风险分担给出了若干舰船采办合同形式的示例     

智能悬挂物管理系统的设计与实现

随着作战飞机智能化的提高,对悬挂物管理智能化要求日益迫切,如何实现悬挂物管理的标准化与智能化,作者在文中给出了一种方案。这种方案可支持任何类型的挂物,而对飞机、悬挂物及接口硬件不需进行任何的改动,且在其基础上可方便地实现智能化、自动化管理,并在管理软件的实现上进行了仿真,证明了此方案的正确性和可行性。     

提高导弹系统仿真可信性的方法和途径

探讨了提高导弹系统仿真可信性的基本方法和实现途径。从４个方面着重考虑：加强模型校验管理;利用层次化方法进行建模与验模;基于一体化研究思想的建模与验模;加强模型的验证、确认和认定（ＶＶ＆Ａ）的具体方法研究。具有一定的理论意义和工程指导价值