Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2009. / "June 2009." / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-82). / The World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations food agency, has recently acquired the difficult task of transporting aid into the Somali region of Ethiopia. The political instability, rebel activity, ethnic tensions, and poor infrastructure in the area endanger and delay the flow of commodities through the WFP's supply chain. In this thesis, we explore and analyze the role that these threats play in the WFP's aid distribution in the Somali region. Specifically, we measure the impact of insecurity in the WFP's distribution system, study the current methods that the WFP employs to mitigate risks, and investigate possible precautionary technologies to improve security in this resource constrained environment. Our research suggests that while many tools can enhance security, the organizational measures aiming to increase responsibility and trust between all involved supply chain stakeholders ultimately prove to have a stronger impact on the overall safety of aid-distribution. Finally, though our research has focused mainly on the WFP, we believe that all similarly situated humanitarian organizations will find our analysis applicable. / by Vidya Chander and Lauren Shear. / M.Eng.in Logistics

Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-97). / This thesis looks at how supply chains of Aftermarket Products and Services are structured. The study includes an overall examination of the Aftermarket Function, as well as an overview and examination of Aftermarket Supply Chains in four different industries. The study includes general data about the four industries (Computers, Telecommunications Equipment, Automotive and Aerospace), along with examination of practices that are used in these industries. Finally, the thesis compares and contrasts the practices used in the industries and identifies underlying principles that unifies these otherwise diverse practices. / by Petros Englezos. / M.Eng.in Logistics

Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2014. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 119-129). / Governments around the world are investing significant resources in the development and expansion of logistics clusters. This dissertation analyzes the cluster phenomenon focusing on four topics. First, it develops a methodology to identify clusters and applies it to the context of the US. By analyzing the case of logistics clusters, this thesis contributes to a more general debate in the industrial clusters literature: while many authors see industrial clusters growing, others see them dispersing. Evidence of increasing concentration of the logistics industry in clusters in the US over time is tested and documented. In addition, some evidence that logistics activities in counties inside clusters show higher growth than in counties outside clusters is found. Second, this thesis studies the relationship between freight accessibility and logistics employment in the US. It develops an accessibility measure based on a gravity model, focusing on four different modes of transportation: road, rail, air, and maritime. Using a Partial Least Squares model, these four different freight accessibility measures are combined into two constructs, continental and intercontinental freight accessibility, and then analyzed against logistics employment. Results show that highly accessible counties attract more logistics employment than other counties. The analyses also show that it is important to control for the effect of population, since it explains the most variation in the logistics employment across counties. Third, this dissertation also analyzes the benefits of logistics clusters, possibly explaining their continuous growth and wide popularity among both private agents and policy makers during the last decade. Using interview data and grounded theory, four major driving forces that may explain their growing presence are identified: collaboration, value added services, upward mobility and job creation at different levels. Finally, using a quantitative approach this thesis analyzes two major effects of agglomeration on firms located within logistics clusters: more collaboration and the provision of more value added services. Using survey data and structural equation modeling these hypotheses are tested using information from the Zaragoza (Spain) Logistics Cluster. The results show that companies located in logistics clusters do collaborate more and offer more value added services than companies that are not agglomerated. / by Liliana Rivera. / Ph. D.

Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2015. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 67-71). / Pharmaceutical companies operating in Africa are well positioned to contribute to the United Nations' ongoing efforts to improve access to medicine in Africa. This thesis explores how access to finance for businesses in the Ugandan private pharmaceutical supply chain affects access to medicine for end patients. Specifically, we consider three components of access to medicine-payment affordability, on-shelf availability, and geographic accessibility-and how each might be affected by supply chain financing. For payment affordability, we leverage field data via interviews with two distributors, two wholesalers and ten retail pharmacies in Uganda. We use the data to model free cash flows; the estimates gathered from interviewees are modeled with PERT distributions to capture variability in cash flows. For on-shelf availability, we explore methods of categorizing operational uncertainties associated with demand and working capital to inform how financing can improve on-shelf availability. For geographic accessibility, we analyze density in each district of retail pharmacies and financial lending institutions using data visualization. Our analyses reveal several key findings. First, retailers suffer substantial working capital constraints leading to constant product stockouts. Increasing access to working capital for retailers, combined with supply chain management training, may help mitigate stockouts and increase accessibility of medicines for patients. Second, literature on operational uncertainty and disruptions provides a framework for how to allocate financing to help improve on-shelf availability. Finally, a substantial portion of Uganda is still largely underserved in terms of pharmaceutical retail outlets and financial lending services. Our analyses fill a gap in the literature concerning how to approach improving patient access to medicine by financing pharmaceutical supply chain improvements. Our analyses serve as a basis for pharmaceutical companies looking to contribute to improving access to medicine in Africa. / by Charles Alexander Dokmo and Nipun Rajni Patel. / M. Eng. in Logistics

Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2012. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 67-69). / Most companies aim for perfect on-time delivery from suppliers, since late deliveries can cause supply disruptions and raise the cost of inventory, transportation and coordination. But this assumes that companies do not incur expenses in increasing or maintaining supplier performance. Our thesis looks at the problem faced by those companies that do invest in suppliers to help them achieve a desired performance level. In these special cases, a perfect target may no longer yield the minimum cost incurred over a performance spectrum. Our thesis provides a framework that companies can use to determine an optimal target for timely deliveries by comparing the cost implications of different supplier performance levels. We pursue an empirical approach, using the data and metrics of an industrial equipment manufacturer that uses a hit-or-miss performance measure to evaluate on-time supplier deliveries. Within the scope of this performance management system, we determine the relevant cost categories. Using regression analysis, we create models projecting each category's expected behavior based on data we collect. Combining the models allows us to calculate a system optimal point at which the incremental cost of supplier development towards an improved performance target matches the benefit derived from avoided supply disruption. This performance target minimizes the total cost of the performance management system. While our framework is calibrated to a specific company, the models we create are general enough to be adapted by companies facing similar problems. By laying out our treatment of costs, we hope to make it feasible for other companies to calculate a target that makes sense: one that suppliers can achieve and purchasers can afford. / by Maximilian L. Hurd and Izak W. J. van Rensburg. / M.Eng.in Logistics

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2013. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-97). / The continued usage of poor pedagogies in K-12 classrooms, despite large pressures for teachers to change their practice, points towards systematic barriers to change. In the last few decades, there has been a national focus to improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education. Driven by their concern for developing their future workforce, science and technology companies have invested billions of dollars in improving student outcomes. Further, the federal and state governments have responded by adopting new policies meant to improve student performance. Promising new pedagogies, such as Project Based Learning or the Flipped Classroom, have been developed alongside new technologies to complement them. Yet despite this support, pedagogical practice has not drastically changed and students are primarily taught through lectures and homework sets. This thesis argues that teachers do not adopt new pedagogies because they are under short-term pressure to improve test scores, often face an uphill battle against their school culture and/or do not have deep enough pedagogical or content expertise. A causal model of pedagogical implementation barriers is developed using the results of in-depth surveys and interviews of administrators, principals and teachers. Within this model, critical points of leverage are identified that can interrupt the negative feedback loops creating pedagogical lock-in, and three case studies of international attempts at pedagogical reform are presented to illustrate effective strategies to utilize these leverage points. General policy recommendations are then developed that will remove the current system of pressures and incentives for teachers to use rote memorization and incentivize use of more effective pedagogies. / by Mackenzie Douglas Hird. / S.M.in Technology and Policy

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2008. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 185-188). / Systems Engineers often conduct decision analysis in order to provide decision makers with a quantifiable means to make decisions. However, the field of Systems Engineering is often criticized for focusing on processes and requirements instead of the actual system. As a result, it limits the decision maker's ability to understand the system's properties and behaviors. This research enhances an existing decision methodology in order to maintain holistic thinking and provide decision makers with measureable information that result in better decisions. This thesis explores commercial, off the shelf systems in order to provide a potential solution to a backpackable, lethal unmanned aircraft system (UAS). It first employs the Systems Decision Process which is a widely applicable decision method that focuses on system function and requirements in order to select an optimal solution. The System Decision Process utilizes the additive value model. The additive value model is a universally accepted quantitative approach for evaluating a candidate solution space in order to determine a best solution. This research then applies Flexibility Analysis in order to enhance the System Decision Process. Flexibility Analysis is a three step process developed by the researcher. The first step involves decomposing and modeling the UAS as a system of systems. The next step introduces the Requirements Flexibility Graph as a structured technique which incorporates stakeholder levels of acceptability along with the engineers' stochastic estimates of a system's changeability with respect to constraints. / (cont.) The final step replaces preference weighting in the additive value model with potential value. Potential value is a quantifiable measure of a system's flexibility. It supplies decision makers with information about a system's inherent value and allows them to allocate resources to those system attributes that provide the most value return. Finally, a realized value score informs the decision maker of the resulting value of changing the system from the status quo to a future state. / by Chris H. Bachmann. / S.M.

Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-40). / Auction is a mechanism of selling distinct assets that can be both physical objects and virtual objects. Examples of virtual objects are the rights to use assets like airport time slots and FCC spectrum, or to service truckload delivery routes in a transportation network. Under some situations bidding on combinations of objects can render lower total price compare with bidding the objects one at a time, and the auction that allows bidders to bid on combinations of different assets are called combinatorial auctions. With shipper being the auctioneer and carriers being the bidders, combinatorial auction has become increasingly important in the transportation service procurement domain, due to its mechanism to align shipper s procurement interest with carrier transportation service cost structure, which in turn lowers shippers total procurement cost. The thesis provides a comprehensive review of the use of conditional bidding within a transportation combinatorial auction framework. The thesis first describes the general forms of the transportation services available, and discusses the economics of motor carriers that provide LTL and TL services. It then illustrates the basic optimization technique of conditional bidding for TL service procurement and discusses the information technologies that enable the optimization-based procurement and the actual application of the method in the real world. / by XiaoPing Chen. / M.Eng.in Logistics

Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2006. / "June 2006." / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-118). / This thesis focuses on documenting learnings from a RFID data exchange pilot in the fast moving consumer goods industry. The pilot we studied is a collaborative effort between two of the largest retailers in the world and five of their major suppliers, facilitated by EPCglobal and the MIT Auto-ID labs. Currently, manufacturers and suppliers are building the infrastructure to exchange EPC data to validate standards and proof of concepts for RFID adoption. The outcome of these pilots will essentially set the stage for large scale RFID adoption worldwide. Our thesis attempts to document issues relating to data exchange from business process, organizational and technical perspectives. We have synthesized the findings and consolidated the lessons learned during the pilot in an attempt to form a set of actionable recommendations for new companies looking to start on RFID pilot projects. / by Rida Chan [and] Sangeeth Ram. / M.Eng.in Logistics

Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2013. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 51-52). / In the agrochemical industry, companies are challenged with an extreme seasonality in demand driven by the crops' growing cycles. Therefore, balancing supply with such fluctuating demand has been a struggle for most companies due to their capacity constraints. One way to accommodate the demand is to stock enough inventory ahead of the peak seasons, while the other is to increase the production capacity so that the companies can react to the changing demand more quickly. However, either alternative comes at a significant cost. This paper examines the optimal mix of production capacity and inventory for a company to meet customers' demand at the highest net present value (NPV) of operating assets value add (OAVA). We use a multi-period, multi-stage, multi-product mixed integer linear optimization model to determine the best combination of resources. Viable resource options include stocking inventory ahead of the peak seasons, enhancing output through overtime, outsourcing production activities to a third party, and acquiring new assets for a particular production stage. The results show that the optimal OAVA comes from a combination of all these viable resources. Additionally, the master production schedule, the resulting inventory levels, and the recommended timings for external resources and asset acquisition are important takeaways from our model. They serve not only as the guidance of the company's day-to-day operations, but also as the quantitative analysis necessary to communicate with stakeholders across different functional teams with potentially conflicting interests. / by Cindy (Hsin-ying) Wu and José Antonio González Duhart Muñoz de Cote. / M.Eng.in Logistics