This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of communication and information on the potential adoption of optical scanners by hospital pharmacy directors. The study used a randomly selected national mail survey of 600 hospital pharmacy directors. A response rate of 64.17% was attained and the instrument was determined to have adequate reliability. Believability of optical scanner assessment information was compared between directors with high and low optical scanner familiarity. Directors with high familiarity rates the information's influence on their decision to adopt significantly higher than directors with low familiarity. Directors were also asked to rate the importance of the source of information and the optical scanner characteristics when making their decision to adopt. Directors with high familiarity rated management sources, administrative uses and time-savings higher and cost lower in importance. The survey revealed that 18.96% of the respondents were currently using optical scanners, primarily for inventory control.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Mathematics / Master / Master of Philosophy

This dissertation contains a number of varied, yet closely related, results that are relevant to the construction of mathematical and statistical models of inventory systems. Its primary focus is on the sensitivity of some specific inventory models to errors in certain modeling assumptions. Motivation for this research is provided through the development of analytical expressions that show that the deterministic economic order quantity can be quite sensitive to errors in the forecast of the demand rate whenever the lead time is non-zero. Similar results are provided for the stochastic case by means of a carefully designed experiment that shows that the specific form or "shape" of the distribution chosen to represent the stochastic behavior of the lead time demand can have a significant impact on a minimum cost (Q,R) policy. Together, these results refute the "conventional wisdom" that inventory models are generally insensitive to errors in model specification or parameter estimation. Considerable attention is also given to the postulation of a "robust" model for the lead time demand distribution (LTDD). This discussion culminates with the introduction of a new probability distribution, based on a hyperbolic cosine transformation of normal random variables, that appears to be well-suited for modeling the LTDD. Furthermore, it is concluded that the two- and three-parameter versions of the lognormal and inverse Gaussian distributions can also be considered as viable candidates to model the LTDD in a wide variety of inventory systems. A number of new algorithms for computing optimal (Q,R) policies are also introduced. These significantly reduce both the amount and complexity of computation required by the standard iterative method. Two additional sets of analytical results are chronicled in this work. The first allows the LTDD to be characterized (by its first four moments) on the basis of information about the distributions of the lead time and demand rate. The second expresses the linear loss functions (LLF's) for a number of probability distributions whose LLF's are not readily available in the inventory control literature. Complete and intuitive proofs of these results are included.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. / We model the minimum-cost procurement and allocation of anti-ship cruise missiles to naval combat ships as a two-period stochastic integer program. Discrete scenarios in two periods define "demands" for missiles (i.e., targets and number of missiles required to kill those targets), which must be met with sufficiently high probabilities. After the former combat period, ships may replenish their inventories from a depot if desired and if the available depot inventory suffices. A force commander optimizes ship-to-target assignments to meet demands. The basic model solves slowly, so we add constraints to enforce reasonable operational directives, and add valid inequalities. These improvements reduce the solution time by 95% for the test case. Instances with up to six ships and five scenarios in each period then solve in less than one hour on a 2 GHz personal computer. / Lieutenant Commander, Israel Navy

To prevent loss of lives during seasonal disasters, relief agencies distribute critical supplies and provide lifesaving services to the affected populations. Despite agencies' efforts, frequently occuring disasters increase the cost of relief operations. The purpose of our study is to minimize the cost of relief operations, considering that such disasters cause random demand. To achieve this, we have formulated a series of models, which are distinct from the current studies in three ways. First, to the best of our knowledge, we are the first ones to capture both perishable and durable products together. Second, we have aggregated multiple products in a different way than current studies do. This unique aggregation requires less data than that of other types of aggregation. Finally, our models are compatible with the practical data generated by FEMA. Our models offer insights on the impacts of various parameters on optimum cost and order size. The analyses of correlation of demand and quality of information offer interesting insights; for instance, under certain cases, the quality of information does not influence cost. Our study has considered both risk averse and risk neutral approaches and provided insights. The insights obtained from our models are expected to help agencies reduce the cost of operations by choosing cost effective suppliers.

Em diversos setores, em especial no automotivo, uma boa gestão dos estoques de peças de reposição tem impacto significativo na satisfação dos clientes e em sua fidelidade aos fabricantes. Neste trabalho foram estudadas diferentes políticas de gestão dos estoques de peças de reposição, para comparar seu desempenho e elaborar recomendações para seu uso. Foram comparados 17 conjuntos de políticas que envolvem diferentes abordagens no registro das demandas (dados individuais de cada pedido versus dados agregados em janelas de tempo semanais e mensais), modelos de previsão (média móvel, Croston modificado SBA) e diferentes formas de modelar a distribuição da demanda durante o Lead-time de ressuprimento (Normal, Gama, Binomial Negativa, composta Poisson-Normal, composta Poisson-Gama). Cada um desses 17 conjuntos de políticas foi simulado sob duas dinâmicas de reparametrização (mensal e semestral) e para quatro objetivos diferentes do nível de serviço (TFR: Target Fill Rate), totalizando 136 simulações para cada item do estoque (SKU). Foram considerados 10.032 SKU\'s de uma montadora de automóveis instalada no Brasil, com um histórico de seis anos de movimentação. Diferentes recomendações foram elaboradas conforme categorização dos itens já existente na literatura. Os resultados apontaram recomendações distintas para cada TFR, incluindo combinações de todas as alternativas estudadas, descartando apenas o uso das distribuições Normal, composta Poisson-Normal e composta Poisson-Gama. Sugere-se que as recomendações sirvam como guia para o uso desses modelos pelos praticantes. / In many areas, including automotive, a good spare parts inventory management can substantially affect customer satisfaction and their loyalty to the brands. Different spare parts inventory control policies were evaluated in this study, aiming to compare their performance and write recommendations for their usage. Seventeen policy sets were compared, including different approaches in recording demand data (individual orders data against time bucket records weekly and monthly), different demand forecasting methods (simple moving average, Syntetos-Boylan-approximation SBA) and different models for demand distribution during lead-time (Normal, Gama, Negative Binomial, compound Poisson-Normal, compound Poisson-Gama). Each policy set was simulated under two revision frequencies (monthly and semi-annually) and four different Target-Fill-Rates (TFR), totalizing 136 simulation runs for each SKU. Database included movement of 10.032 SKU´s during last 6 years from an automaker installed in Brazil. Results pointed different recommendations for existing classification schemes and under each TFR. Recommendations included all studied alternatives, discarding only the usage of Normal, compound Poisson-Normal and compound Poisson-Gama for demand distribution during lead-time. Practitioners are stimulated to use these recommendations as a guideline.

by Ha Yiu Cheung, Albert. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1988. / Bibliography: leaves 90-94.

Yeung Yun Sing Samson. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-67). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Background --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- Applicability of Weather Derivative in Hong Kong: The Recre- ation Industry --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2 --- Types of Weather Risk --- p.9 / Chapter 3 --- Literature Review --- p.12 / Chapter 4 --- Basic Model --- p.17 / Chapter 4.1 --- Notations --- p.18 / Chapter 4.2 --- Assumptions --- p.21 / Chapter 4.3 --- The Profit Model --- p.22 / Chapter 5 --- Fundamental Analysis --- p.25 / Chapter 5.1 --- Sales Profit Analysis --- p.25 / Chapter 5.2 --- Option Analysis --- p.27 / Chapter 5.3 --- Profit Function Reformulation --- p.30 / Chapter 6 --- Objectivel: Lexicographic Optimization --- p.35 / Chapter 6.1 --- Equivalence between Lexicographic Optimization and Expected Utility Maximization --- p.38 / Chapter 6.2 --- Minimizing the Conditional Profit Variance given Q* --- p.39 / Chapter 6.3 --- Numerical Examples --- p.42 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Convexity of conditional profit variance --- p.42 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Correlation between Q* & N* --- p.47 / Chapter 7 --- Objective2: Mean-Variance Optimization --- p.52 / Chapter 7.1 --- Numerical Examples --- p.59 / Chapter 8 --- Conclusion and Future Work --- p.61 / Bibliography --- p.64 / Chapter A --- Weather Option Pricing --- p.68 / Chapter B --- Infeasibility of Perfect Hedge --- p.70

退貨産品在國民經濟中發揮重要作用，近些年來在工業界和學術界引起廣泛關注。由于受到退貨産品的巨大經濟潛能驅動以及迫于相關法律的強大壓力，企業開始積極整合現有供應鏈流程和産品退貨流程，但是在這個過程中生産計劃和庫存管理運營遇到了前所未有的挑戰。本論文分析了可修護單壹産品的多周期庫存系統管理問題，其中該庫存系統包含隨機的新産品需求和産品保修需求。所探討的系統還包含了以下特征： i. 産品供應源的完美替換。新訂購産品和維修後的退貨産品並無二異。ii. 需求優先級。在單個周期內，新産品需求優先級高于保修需求。iii. 新産品訂購和退貨産品維修特性。兩項流程交付時間都假設爲零。在每個周期中，維修退貨産品過程涉及且考慮維修損失。我們探尋到了所考察系統的最優庫存補貨和處理控制策略。 / Product returns play an important role in the economy and have attracted more and more attention both from industry and academia in the past few years. Motivated by enormous economic potential of and dramatic legislation pressure on product returns, companies today actively integrate product-return processes with their existing forward supply-chain processes, but must confront the considerable challenge of production planning and inventory control problems compared to traditional problems without returns and repairs. / This thesis analyzes a multi-period single-item repairable inventory system with stochastic new and warranty demands. The system investigated has the following features: i. perfect substitution of supply sources. Newly-procured items are indistinguishable from items repaired from repairable warranty returns. ii. demand priority. New demand has higher priority than warranty demand within a period and thus needs to be satisfied first. iii. properties on the processes of purchasing and repairing. We assume zero lead-time for both processes. Further we capture the "repair loss" in repairing returns in each period. We identify the optimal inventory replenishment and disposal policies for the investigated system. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Lin, Yizhong. / Thesis (Ph.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-87). / Abstracts also in Chinese.

Wang Tong. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 59-61). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.iii / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.9 / Chapter 3 --- Evaluation of Cost and Service --- p.13 / Chapter 3.1 --- Preliminaries --- p.13 / Chapter 3.2 --- Evaluation --- p.15 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Cost Function --- p.15 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Expression of Time-window Ready Rate --- p.16 / Chapter 4 --- Optimization of the Inventory Policy --- p.19 / Chapter 4.1 --- "Monotonicity of Cost C(s, S)" --- p.19 / Chapter 4.2 --- Optimization Algorithms - Case(i) --- p.20 / Chapter 4.3 --- Optimization Algorithm ´ؤ Case(ii) --- p.27 / Chapter 5 --- Heuristic Method for Case(ii) --- p.30 / Chapter 5.1 --- Approximation of Q(S) --- p.30 / Chapter 5.2 --- Algorithm --- p.33 / Chapter 6 --- Comparison with the ADI Model --- p.34 / Chapter 6.1 --- The ADI Model --- p.35 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Cost Function --- p.35 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Service Rate --- p.37 / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Optimal Policy --- p.37 / Chapter 6.2 --- Numerical Comparison --- p.37 / Chapter 7 --- Numerical Experiments --- p.40 / Chapter 7.1 --- Cost Impact --- p.40 / Chapter 7.1.1 --- Cost Impact of Ready Rate --- p.41 / Chapter 7.1.2 --- Cost Impact of Time-window --- p.41 / Chapter 7.1.3 --- Cost Impact of Other Parameters --- p.45 / Chapter 7.2 --- Performance of the Algorithms --- p.46 / Chapter 7.3 --- Numerical Study of Heuristic --- p.48 / Chapter 8 --- Conclusion --- p.50 / Chapter A --- Some omitted proofs --- p.52 / Chapter A.1 --- Proof of Lemma 1 --- p.52 / Chapter A.2 --- Proof of Lemma 10 --- p.53 / Chapter A.3 --- Proof of Lemma 12 --- p.55 / Chapter A.4 --- Proof of Lemma 15 --- p.56 / Bibliography --- p.61