This paper deals with real-time disruption management of rolling stock in passenger railway transportation. We present a generic framework for modeling disruptions in railway rolling stock schedules. The framework is presented as an online combinatorial decision problem where the uncertainty of...

Logistics network design is commonly recognized as a strategic supply chain issue of prime importance. The location of production facilities, storage concepts, and transportation strategies are major determinants of supply chain performance. This chapter considers logistics network design for...

Ever more companies are recognizing the benefits of closed-loop supply chains that integrate product returns into business operations. IBM has been among the pioneers seeking to unlock the value dormant in these resources. We report on a project exploiting product returns as a source of spare...

The past decade has seen a virtual explosion of information about customers and their preferences. This information potentially allows companies to increase their revenues, in particular since modern technology enables price changes to be effected at minimal cost. At the same time, companies...

Many e-tailers providing attended home delivery, especially e-grocers, offer narrow delivery time slots to ensure satisfactory customer service. The choice of delivery time slots has to balance marketing and operational considerations, which results in a complex planning problem. We study the...

Product flows in today’s supply chains do not end once they have reached the customer. Many products lead a second and even third or fourth life after having accomplished their original task at their first customer. Consequently, a product may generate revenues multiple times, rather than a...