In recent decades, warranties have become more important in deciding the overall product quality. In this thesis, we use warranty as the planning tool to improve product quality during the customer phase. We develop an analytical framework that consists of systematic planning methods to reduce...

Since the beginning of deregulation, natural gas markets have been opened up to competition, with the creation of open access to pipeline transportation and storage and unbundling of sales from pipeline transportation. However, although there is strong evidence that replacing regulation with...

Due to the re-emergence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in recent years, many public health experts believe that the world is closer to a pandemic event than at any time since the 1968 Hong Kong flu (H3N2) outbreak. Thus, governmental and private organizations have invested significant...

The efficiency and the effectiveness of supply chain networks primarily rely on facility location decisions. However, these decisions are closely related to the other supply chain management decisions, i.e., inventory management and transportation decisions. Therefore, the main goal of this...

Uncertain electricity load variation could incur additional costs associated with some specific decisions to resolve its impacts. Price volatility also becomes one of the major concerns for the operation planning and scheduling problem, resulted from the emergence of electricity markets. Since...

In this thesis, we identify the critical operational characteristics for various distribution strategies, and then develop integrated distribution network design models by taking into account those operational factors. The first part of this thesis presents a crossdocking network design problem...

Today supply chains leverage their partner's competencies and in the process also inherit the risks associated with various links of a supply chain. Although it is impossible to completely eliminate various risks, an environment can be created which helps to effectively mitigate risk. The most...

Today supply chains leverage their partner's competencies and in the process also inherit the risks associated with various links of a supply chain. Although it is impossible to completely eliminate various risks, an environment can be created which helps to effectively mitigate risk. The most...