IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/oropre/v54y2006i1p150-168.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Robust Optimization Approach to Inventory Theory

Author

Listed:
  • Dimitris Bertsimas

    (Sloan School of Management and Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, E53-363, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139)

  • Aurélie Thiele

    (Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Lehigh University, Mohler Building, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015)

Abstract

We propose a general methodology based on robust optimization to address the problem of optimally controlling a supply chain subject to stochastic demand in discrete time. This problem has been studied in the past using dynamic programming, which suffers from dimensionality problems and assumes full knowledge of the demand distribution. The proposed approach takes into account the uncertainty of the demand in the supply chain without assuming a specific distribution, while remaining highly tractable and providing insight into the corresponding optimal policy. It also allows adjustment of the level of robustness of the solution to trade off performance and protection against uncertainty. An attractive feature of the proposed approach is its numerical tractability, especially when compared to multidimensional dynamic programming problems in complex supply chains, as the robust problem is of the same difficulty as the nominal problem, that is, a linear programming problem when there are no fixed costs, and a mixed-integer programming problem when fixed costs are present. Furthermore, we show that the optimal policy obtained in the robust approach is identical to the optimal policy obtained in the nominal case for a modified and explicitly computable demand sequence. In this way, we show that the structure of the optimal robust policy is of the same base-stock character as the optimal stochastic policy for a wide range of inventory problems in single installations, series systems, and general supply chains. Preliminary computational results are very promising.

Suggested Citation

  • Dimitris Bertsimas & Aurélie Thiele, 2006. "A Robust Optimization Approach to Inventory Theory," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 54(1), pages 150-168, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:inm:oropre:v:54:y:2006:i:1:p:150-168
    DOI: 10.1287/opre.1050.0238
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/opre.1050.0238
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/opre.1050.0238?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dimitris Bertsimas & Melvyn Sim, 2004. "The Price of Robustness," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 52(1), pages 35-53, February.
    2. Andrew J. Clark & Herbert Scarf, 2004. "Optimal Policies for a Multi-Echelon Inventory Problem," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(12_supple), pages 1782-1790, December.
    3. Paul Glasserman & Sridhar Tayur, 1995. "Sensitivity Analysis for Base-Stock Levels in Multiechelon Production-Inventory Systems," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 41(2), pages 263-281, February.
    4. Dimitris Bertsimas & Ioana Popescu, 2002. "On the Relation Between Option and Stock Prices: A Convex Optimization Approach," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 50(2), pages 358-374, April.
    5. ,, 2000. "Problems And Solutions," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(2), pages 287-299, April.
    6. A. L. Soyster, 1973. "Technical Note—Convex Programming with Set-Inclusive Constraints and Applications to Inexact Linear Programming," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 21(5), pages 1154-1157, October.
    7. Michael C. Fu, 1994. "Sample Path Derivatives for (s, S) Inventory Systems," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 42(2), pages 351-364, April.
    8. A. Ben-Tal & A. Nemirovski, 1998. "Robust Convex Optimization," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 23(4), pages 769-805, November.
    9. Lo, Andrew W., 1987. "Semi-parametric upper bounds for option prices and expected payoffs," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 373-387, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chuen-Teck See & Melvyn Sim, 2010. "Robust Approximation to Multiperiod Inventory Management," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 58(3), pages 583-594, June.
    2. Wenqing Chen & Melvyn Sim & Jie Sun & Chung-Piaw Teo, 2010. "From CVaR to Uncertainty Set: Implications in Joint Chance-Constrained Optimization," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 58(2), pages 470-485, April.
    3. Zhi Chen & Melvyn Sim & Huan Xu, 2019. "Distributionally Robust Optimization with Infinitely Constrained Ambiguity Sets," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 67(5), pages 1328-1344, September.
    4. Stefan Mišković, 2017. "A VNS-LP algorithm for the robust dynamic maximal covering location problem," OR Spectrum: Quantitative Approaches in Management, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research e.V., vol. 39(4), pages 1011-1033, October.
    5. M. J. Naderi & M. S. Pishvaee, 2017. "Robust bi-objective macroscopic municipal water supply network redesign and rehabilitation," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(9), pages 2689-2711, July.
    6. Antonio G. Martín & Manuel Díaz-Madroñero & Josefa Mula, 2020. "Master production schedule using robust optimization approaches in an automobile second-tier supplier," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 28(1), pages 143-166, March.
    7. Hanks, Robert W. & Weir, Jeffery D. & Lunday, Brian J., 2017. "Robust goal programming using different robustness echelons via norm-based and ellipsoidal uncertainty sets," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 262(2), pages 636-646.
    8. Roberto Gomes de Mattos & Fabricio Oliveira & Adriana Leiras & Abdon Baptista de Paula Filho & Paulo Gonçalves, 2019. "Robust optimization of the insecticide-treated bed nets procurement and distribution planning under uncertainty for malaria prevention and control," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 283(1), pages 1045-1078, December.
    9. Wang, Tian & Deng, Shiming, 2019. "Multi-Period energy procurement policies for smart-grid communities with deferrable demand and supplementary uncertain power supplies," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 212-226.
    10. Oğuz Solyalı & Jean-François Cordeau & Gilbert Laporte, 2016. "The Impact of Modeling on Robust Inventory Management Under Demand Uncertainty," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(4), pages 1188-1201, April.
    11. Donya Rahmani & Arash Zandi & Sara Behdad & Arezou Entezaminia, 2021. "A light robust model for aggregate production planning with consideration of environmental impacts of machines," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 273-297, March.
    12. Roos, Ernst & den Hertog, Dick, 2019. "Reducing conservatism in robust optimization," Other publications TiSEM ad0238cd-de7a-4366-b487-b, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    13. Jonas Ide & Anita Schöbel, 2016. "Robustness for uncertain multi-objective optimization: a survey and analysis of different concepts," OR Spectrum: Quantitative Approaches in Management, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research e.V., vol. 38(1), pages 235-271, January.
    14. Jiankun Sun & Jan A. Van Mieghem, 2019. "Robust Dual Sourcing Inventory Management: Optimality of Capped Dual Index Policies and Smoothing," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 21(4), pages 912-931, October.
    15. Gianfranco Guastaroba & Gautam Mitra & M Grazia Speranza, 2011. "Investigating the effectiveness of robust portfolio optimization techniques," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(4), pages 260-280, September.
    16. Krumke, Sven O. & Schmidt, Eva & Streicher, Manuel, 2019. "Robust multicovers with budgeted uncertainty," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 274(3), pages 845-857.
    17. Ghazaleh Ahmadi & Reza Tavakkoli-Moghaddam & Armand Baboli & Mehdi Najafi, 2022. "A decision support model for robust allocation and routing of search and rescue resources after earthquake: a case study," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 1039-1081, April.
    18. Almaraj, Ismail I. & Trafalis, Theodore B., 2019. "An integrated multi-echelon robust closed- loop supply chain under imperfect quality production," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 212-227.
    19. Chaithanya Bandi & Eojin Han & Omid Nohadani, 2019. "Sustainable Inventory with Robust Periodic-Affine Policies and Application to Medical Supply Chains," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(10), pages 4636-4655, October.
    20. Güray Kara & Ayşe Özmen & Gerhard-Wilhelm Weber, 2019. "Stability advances in robust portfolio optimization under parallelepiped uncertainty," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 27(1), pages 241-261, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:oropre:v:54:y:2006:i:1:p:150-168. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.