Capacitated Multi-Item Inventory Systems with Random and Seasonally Fluctuating Demands: Implications for Postponement Strategies
研究多物品库存系统，需求随机且季节性波动，两阶段生产且第一阶段产能有限。开发了精确下界和近优启发式策略，数值实验显示平均差距仅0.45%，并用于评估延迟差异化策略、柔性vs专用设施、产能与库存投资权衡等战略问题。
We address multi-item inventory systems with random and seasonally fluctuating, and possibly correlated, demands. The items are produced in two stages, each with its own lead-time; in the first stage a common intermediate product is manufactured. The production volumes in the first stage are bounded by given capacity limits. We develop an accurate lower bound and close-to-optimal heuristic strategies of simple structure. The gap between them, evaluated in an extensive numerical study, is on average only 0.45%. We use the model to investigate the benefits of various delayed product differentiation (postponement) strategies, as well as other strategic questions, including (i) the benefits of flexible versus dedicated production facilities; (ii) the trade-off between capacity and inventory investments; and (iii) the trade-off between capacity investments and service levels.