Optimization of materials supply and inbound logistic operations has become increasingly important as firms have continued to pursue outsourcing options. Further, the proliferation of products and advances in information technology have greatly impacted retailers’ marketing strategies in the past decade. In this dissertation, we address how to optimally develop integrated sourcing and delivery planning, and how to optimally offer vertically differentiated products and bundles. In the first essay, we address a combined sourcing and delivery planning optimization problem, which is motivated by a practical problem facing materials and supply planners for construction projects in a leading corporation. We develop a decision support model and an effective solution approach for integrated sourcing and delivery planning for bulk materials. This approach, implemented and currently in use at the company to support material delivery planning for track maintenance projects, has yielded significant savings of millions of dollars annually. In the second essay, we study the problem of a retailer managing a category of vertically differentiated products. We consider two settings: the exogenous prices case and the endogenous prices case. In the former case, the selling prices are exogenously determined and the retailer’s only decision is to determine the set of products to offer. In the latter case, the retailer also determines the selling prices. We develop efficient methods to identify the optimal solutions for both cases and provide valuable insights and guidelines for practitioners. In the third essay, we study how to choose the optimal bundling strategy for a retailer offering vertically differentiated information goods. We characterize conditions under which pure bundling and mixed bundling strategies are optimal respectively. We provide efficient methods to identify which individual components to offer, whether or not to offer a bundle containing all the components and how to price the offered individual components and the bundle in order to maximize the retailer’s profit. / text

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<p><p>To be a market leader, low cost and responsiveness are the key success factors. Logistics activities create high cost reducing competitiveness of the company, especially for the remote production base. Thus, logistics activities which are delivery planning, freight forwarder and delivery mode selection must be optimized. The focusing area of this paper is inbound logistics due to its big proportion in the total cost and involvement with several stakeholders. The optimization theory and Microsoft Excel’s Solver is used to create the standard optimization tools since it is an efficient and user friendly program. The models are developed based on the supply chain management theory in order to achieve the lowest cost, responsiveness and shared objectives. 2 delivery planning optimization models, container loading for fixed slitting and loading pattern and container loading for pallet loaded material, are formulated. Also, delivery mode selection is constructed by using optimization concept to determine the best alternative. Furthermore, freight forwarder selection process is created by extending the use of the delivery mode selection model. The results express that safety stock, loading pattern, transport mode, and minimum order quantity (MOQ) significantly affect the total logistics cost. Including hidden costs, long transit time and delay penalties, leads freight forwarder selection process to become more realistic and reliable. Shorter processing time, ensured optimal solution, transparency increase and better communication are gained by using these optimization models. However, the proper boundaries must be defined carefully to gain the feasible solution.</p></p>

To be a market leader, low cost and responsiveness are the key success factors. Logistics activities create high cost reducing competitiveness of the company, especially for the remote production base. Thus, logistics activities which are delivery planning, freight forwarder and delivery mode selection must be optimized. The focusing area of this paper is inbound logistics due to its big proportion in the total cost and involvement with several stakeholders. The optimization theory and Microsoft Excel’s Solver is used to create the standard optimization tools since it is an efficient and user friendly program. The models are developed based on the supply chain management theory in order to achieve the lowest cost, responsiveness and shared objectives. 2 delivery planning optimization models, container loading for fixed slitting and loading pattern and container loading for pallet loaded material, are formulated. Also, delivery mode selection is constructed by using optimization concept to determine the best alternative. Furthermore, freight forwarder selection process is created by extending the use of the delivery mode selection model. The results express that safety stock, loading pattern, transport mode, and minimum order quantity (MOQ) significantly affect the total logistics cost. Including hidden costs, long transit time and delay penalties, leads freight forwarder selection process to become more realistic and reliable. Shorter processing time, ensured optimal solution, transparency increase and better communication are gained by using these optimization models. However, the proper boundaries must be defined carefully to gain the feasible solution.

Exploateringsområdet Barkarbystaden är Nordens nuvarande största pågående exploateringsprojekt. Här väntas 14 000 nya bostäder vara klara till 2032. En beräknad mängd på ca 488 000 leveranser förväntas under byggtiden. Under denna byggtid verkar flera kvarter och olika byggherrar samtidigt. För att lyckas hantera allt detta ställs ett stort fokus på en fungerande logistiklösning med bra planering och framförhållning.Syftet med arbetet är att undersöka hur logistiklösningar påverkar produktionens effektivitet genom att undersöka och studera hur leveransplaneringen i Barkarbystaden fungerar. Målsättningen med arbetet är att komma fram till data och studier som bidrar till en effektivare och mer lönsam produktion i Barkarbystaden och för byggbranschen i helhet.Frågeställningarna examensarbetet utgår ifrån är följande: Hur skiljer sig leveransplaneringen gentemot det verkliga utfallet, hur har entreprenören anpassat leveransplaneringen och hur kan logistikplaneringen förbättras?För att uppnå ett resultat som besvarar examensarbetets frågeställningar har det genomförts intervjuer, en litteraturstudie samt en fallstudie. Examensarbetet är genomfört i samarbete med företaget Prolog som är involverade i logistiklösningen på projektet Barkarbystaden. Prolog har givit arbetet möjligheten att komma i kontakt med relevanta nyckelpersoner för intervjuer samt delat med sig av kunskap om projektet Barkarbystaden som varit till nytta för att genomföra fallstudien.Fallstudien resulterade i att planerad ledtid är nästan fyra gånger längre än den faktiska ledtiden. Vid mätningarna noterades klockslaget när transporterna anlände och när de lämnade. 39% av leveranserna lämnar efter planerad avfärdstid.Logistiklösningen i Barkarbystaden är endast dryga ett år gammal och är inte för alla entreprenörer ett tidigare känt arbetssätt. Entreprenörerna har haft olika stora utmaningar när det gäller att anpassa sig till logistiklösningen. Vissa entreprenörer ser utmaningar med ett annat arbetssätt men det blir med tiden. Entreprenörer som jobbat med liknande logistiklösningar på andra projekt har en fördel när de ska anpassa sig till Barkarbystadens logistiklösning.Logistikansvariga bör bli mer noggranna när dom bokar in respektive leverans med avseende på vad det är för transport och lossningsmetod som ska användas. Samt att korta ned den planerade ledtiden i bokingssystemet. Då skillnaden var markant mellan planerad respektive faktisk ledtid.Vid kontraktsskrivning mellan entreprenör och leverantör bör entreprenören kravställa att de ankommer inom angivet lossningsfönster och reglera konsekvenserna av för sen ankomst parterna sinsemellan. / The Barkarbystaden development area is the Nordic countries currently largest ongoing development project. Here, 14,000 new homes are expected to be ready by 2032. An estimated amount of approximately 488,000 deliveries is expected during the construction period. During this construction period, several blocks and different contractors operate simultaneously. In order to succeed in handling all this, great focus is placed on a working logistics solution with good planning and foresight.The purpose of the work is to investigate how logistics solutions affect production efficiency by examining and studying how delivery planning in Barkarbystaden works. The aim of the bachelor’s thesis is to obtain data and studies that contribute to a more efficient and profitable production in Barkarbystaden and for the construction industry as a whole.The questions the degree project is based on are the following: How does the delivery planning differ from the actual outcome; how has the contractor adapted the delivery planning and how can the logistics planning be improved?In order to achieve a result that answers the bachelor’s thesis questions; interviews, a literature study and a case study were conducted. The bachelor’s thesis has been carried out in collaboration with the company Prolog, which is involved in the logistics solution for the Barkarbystaden project. Prologue has given the work the opportunity to get in touch with relevant key people for interviews and shared knowledge about the Barkarbystaden project that has been useful for conducting the case study.The case study resulted in the planned lead time being almost four times longer than the actual lead time. During the measurements, the time was noted when the transports arrived and when they left. 39% of deliveries leave after the planned departure time.The logistics solution in Barkarbystaden is only just over a year old and is not a previously known way of working for all contractors. This means that the contractors have had various challenges when it comes to adapting to the logistics solution. Where some have said that from the beginning it was difficult with a different way of working but that it got better and better with time. While some of the respondents said that they had worked with a similar logistics solution on previous projects, which obviously means an advantage when they have to adapt to Barkarbystaden's logistics solution.Logistics managers should be more careful when booking lead times for each delivery. By careful it is meant that logistics managers should take more account of what kind of transport and unloading method is to be used and to generally shorten the planned lead time in the booking system. This is because the difference was significant between the planned and actual lead time. When writing a contract between contractor and supplier, the contractor should require them to arrive within the specified unloading window and regulate the consequences of late arrival between the parties.

Purpose: Continously growing cities and increasing population sets new demands inthe building industry. Contractors are facing new challenges regarding constructionsite-logistics in densely populated areas where the use of large transports is limited.Many of the actors involved in construction logistics don’t seem to recognize thepotential in early-stage cooperation and sharing of information. Large improvementsare available in the construction logistics which seem to lack structure and goodplanning. Large demands are going to be put on contractor corporations where smartlogisticsolutions can be a deciding factor for competition and thus, important toidentify. Method: In order to supply answer to this thesis question formulation a case study wasperformed at Skanska AB Sverige. The methods used are literature-review, documentanalysisand interviews. The literature-review helped gathering knowledge in the fieldas well as providing a framework in chapter four. The document-analysis where usedto identify the guidelines and tools that Skanska AB Sverige uses today. The interviewstook place at Skanska AB Sverige where employees on influential positions suppliedtheir view on the construction logistics. Findings: The thesis examined four problem areas within construction logistics:material flow issues, internal communication, external communication and complexity.The study showed that the largest problem was material flow issues in citylogisticswhere it was shown that the problems included was uncertainty of time of delivery,transport issues, uncertainty of space requirement and space for waste storage. Theproblems may be solved through thorough planning and inclusion of more actors in theplanning. An increased use of join-distribution may also prove beneficial to the projectsas more space and time is created. Implications: The thesis conclude that information of solutions exist today but that itmust find a way to reach the project in a better way. Problems regarding the externalcommunication with subcontractors was found in the interviews which could beprevented through a better understanding between different actors through inclusion inthe early stage planning and continuous involvement. As a recommendation to furtherresearch we recommend to examine the profitability of joint-distribution and supplychain management. Limitations: The the thesis is limited to construction enterprise where logistics isexamined where it is in direct contact with the construction site. The supply chain ofsubcontractors and their handling of materials is not studied in this report. / Syfte: Ständigt växande stadskärnor och ökad befolkning ställer nya krav påbyggmarknaden. Entreprenörer ställs inför nya utmaningar gällandearbetsplatslogistiken på trånga innerstadprojekt där stora transporter är begränsade.Många inblandade som berörs av logistikfrågor ser inte den stora potentialen isamarbete och utbyte av information. Stora förbättringsmöjligheter finns gällandelogistiken inom byggbranschen vilken saknar struktur och bra planering. Stora kravkommer ställas på entreprenadföretag där smarta logistiklösningar kan vara enavgörande konkurrensfaktor därför är det viktigt att identifiera dessa möjligheter. Metod: För att besvara rapporten frågeställningar utgick examensarbetet från enfallstudie. Metoderna som användes för datainsamling var litteraturstudie,dokumentanalys och intervjuer. Litteraturstudier hjälpte med att införskaffa kunskap iämnet samt gav grund i empirikapitlet. Därefter gjordes dokumentanalys för attidentifiera Skanskas Sverige AB riktlinjer och hjälpmedel som finns idag.Avslutningsvis intervjuades personer på företaget för att se deras syn kringlogistiksituationen. Resultat: Rapporten undersökte fyra problematiska områden inom bygglogistiken:materialflöde, intern och extern kommunikation samt komplexitet. Studien visade attproblem kring materialflöde var största bekymmer utifrån logistiksynpunkt. Inom detområdet fastställdes problematik kring leveransreliabilitet, transportproblem påbyggarbetsplats, osäkerhet om utrymmeskrav och hantering av avfall. Problemen kanlösas genom noggrannare planering och inkludering av flera aktörer i planeringen.Ökning av samlastning tycks också gynna projekten där mer plats och tid skapas.Medarbetarnas okunskap gällande samlastning skapar rädslan för extra kostnaderistället för att se möjligheter. Konsekvenser: Rapportens slutsats är att information kring lösningar som finnstillgängliga i dagsläge måste nå projekten på ett bättre sätt. Problem kring den externakommunikationen med underentreprenörer konstaterades. Bättre förståelse förvarandras arbetssätt kan skapas genom täta avstämningar och bättre involvering. Somförslag till vidare studier kan lönsamhet av samlastning respektive supply chainmanagement för olika typer entreprenader undersökas. Begränsningar: Studien är avgränsad till ett byggentreprenadföretag på husbyggnaddär logistiken undersöks endast i direktkontakt med byggarbetsplats.Underentreprenörernas leveranskedja och hantering av material beaktas inte i dettaarbete.

<p>У докторској дисертацији су предложена два модела: модел за планирање испорука и агрегационо планирање производње и модел за прогнозу купчеве потражње у ланцу снабдевања у аутомобилској индустрији. Оба модела примењена су на студији случаја у предузећима два добављача из области аутомобилске индустрије у Републици Србији. Истраживање је показало применљивост предложених модела на практичним проблемима у присуству неизвесности и употребљивост њихових резултата у аутомобилској индустрији. Модели су показали боље резултате у односу на практичне податке у предузећима и у односу на основне стратегије за планирање производње и залиха које се користе у аутомобилској индустрији.</p> / <p>U doktorskoj disertaciji su predložena dva modela: model za planiranje isporuka i agregaciono planiranje proizvodnje i model za prognozu kupčeve potražnje u lancu snabdevanja u automobilskoj industriji. Oba modela primenjena su na studiji slučaja u preduzećima dva dobavljača iz oblasti automobilske industrije u Republici Srbiji. Istraživanje je pokazalo primenljivost predloženih modela na praktičnim problemima u prisustvu neizvesnosti i upotrebljivost njihovih rezultata u automobilskoj industriji. Modeli su pokazali bolje rezultate u odnosu na praktične podatke u preduzećima i u odnosu na osnovne strategije za planiranje proizvodnje i zaliha koje se koriste u automobilskoj industriji.</p> / <p>In doctoral dissertation are proposed two models: model for delivery planning and aggregate production planning and model for customer demand forecasting in supply chain in automotive industry. Both models are applied on the case study in enterprises of two suppliers from area of automotive industry in Republic of Serbia. The research shows applicability of proposed models on practital problems in the presence of uncertanty and usability of their results in automotive industry. Models have showed better results in regard to both the practical data in enterprises and a basic strategies for production planning and inventory planning which are used in automotive industry.</p>