A prize-winning paper...

                         PLANNING MULTIPLE INVENTORY LOCATIONS

Supplying customer demand from comparable alternate inventory locations when an

item is out of stock at its primary stocking point creates a virtual inventory for that

item. The expectation is that if more inventories can be drawn upon, the inventory for

an item would be lower, the fill rate would be higher, or both. While generally true

that safety stocks will be lower, regular stocks, on the other hand, may rise with such

cross filling of demand. In this study, a methodology is developed that balances the

cross filling effects on both regular and safety stocks for determining whether an

inventoried item should be cross-filled. An example and guidelines are given to

show how the methodology can be simplified and applied in practice.

To receive the complete paper, request a copy.  For additional papers, see the

articles section of resume.

Books...

Read a leading book on business logistics/supply chain management that

can assist you in making customer service, supply chain network design,

inventory management, and transportation decisions.  Ronald H. Ballou,

Business Logistics/Supply Chain Management, 5th edition (Prentice Hall,

2004) can help you find significant cost reduction and revenue enhancement

opportunities in the supply chain.  A CD with sixteen software modules,

including a multi-echelon simulator, accompanies the book.  In addition to

English, the book is translated into Chinese, Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese

languages.  Copies are available from www.prenhall.com in both domestic

and international editions.

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