Revenue Management for Intermodal Transportation: The Role of Dynamic Forecasting
研究了多式联运中联合运力租赁与需求接受问题，发现动态预测能协调租赁与接受决策，其价值取决于稀缺性、随机性和波动性，传统均值等价方法在波动环境下表现不佳。
We study a joint capacity leasing and demand acceptance problem in intermodal transportation. The model features multiple sources of evolving supply and demand, and endogenizes the interplay of three levers—forecasting, leasing, and demand acceptance. We characterize the optimal policy, and show how dynamic forecasting coordinates leasing and acceptance. We find (i) the value of dynamic forecasting depends critically on scarcity, stochasticity, and volatility; (ii) traditional mean‐value equivalence approach performs poorly in volatile intermodal context; (iii) mean‐value‐based forecast may outperform stationary distribution‐based forecast. Our work enriches revenue management models and applications. It advances our understanding on when and how to use dynamic forecasting in intermodal revenue management.