Vendor Selection with Bundling: A Comment*
指出Rosenthal等人提出的供应商选择模型存在购买悖论，即可能迫使买方支付更多却得到更少，并提出改进模型，使用更少的整数变量，允许从同一供应商购买多个捆绑包，从而降低计算量并揭示更经济的采购策略。
ABSTRACT In a recent article by Rosenthal, Zydiak, and Chaudhry (1995), a mixed integer linear programming model was introduced to solve the vendor selection problem for the case in which the vendor can sell items individually or as part of a bundle. Each vendor offered only one type of bundle, and the buyer could purchase at most one bundle per vendor. The model employed n(m + 1) binary variables, where n is the number of vendors and m is the number of products they sell. The existing model can lead to a purchasing paradox: it may force the buyer to pay more to receive less. We suggest a reformulation of the same problem that (i) eliminates this paradox and reveals a more cost‐effective purchasing strategy; (ii) uses only n integer variables and significantly reduces the computational workload; and (iii) permits the buyer to purchase more than one bundle per vendor.