Multi-echelon inventory systems consist of two or more echelons where locations at upper echelons act as suppliers to locations at lower echelons. Multi-echelon inventory systems form the backbone of retail supply chains, military weapon system resupply networks and spare part logistics systems.
Research on multi-echelon inventory systems has been an active area for decades and continues to mo-tivate innovative applications of operations research techniques. This special issue is interested in all aspects of multi-echelon inventory modelling: stochastic performance modelling, simulation, optimisation, heuristics, etc.
A key theme of the special issue is new methods for handling the computational issues related to the simulation and optimisation of large-scale multi-echelon inventory networks. In addition, methods for ap-proximating demand during lead time models and other stochastic processes within these systems are of interest.
Suitable topics include but are not limited to:
- Demand modelling and forecasting methods within multi-echelon systems
- Stochastic multi-echelon inventory network modelling
- Approximations and bounds for performance modelling in multi-echelon inventory systems
- Simulation methods for large-scale multi-echelon inventory networks
- Optimisation methods for multi-echelon inventory networks
- Innovative methods for handling large-scale multi-echelon systems such as grouping meth-ods, clustering, etc.
- Comprehensive literature reviews of multi-echelon inventory system research
In summary, any paper involving one or more inventory issues is invited if it has as a focus on method-ologies or applications that appear within the management of multi-echelon logistics systems.
Important Dates
Submission deadline: 31 July, 2013
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