IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/proeco/v131y2011i1p355-364.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Evaluation of postponement in the soluble coffee supply chain: A case study

Author

Listed:
  • Wong, Hartanto
  • Potter, Andrew
  • Naim, Mohamed

Abstract

This paper, through a case study, evaluates postponement as an option to improve supply chain performances in a soluble coffee manufacturer. The main focus of the paper is on the development of a numerical data-driven methodology for quantifying the benefits of postponement obtained from the total inventory reduction. Our study shows that significant cost savings are achievable by delaying the labelling and packaging processes until actual orders from retailers are known. These savings include the reduction of the cycle stock, safety stock, and obsolete stock unsold from promotional events. We also discuss the cost implications of the proposed configuration that may offset the estimated potential benefits. The methodology presented in this paper can also be used in many other supply chains, particularly in the food industry with similar environments. This paper contributes to the literature in extending the very short list of published work presenting a systematic methodology of characterising the postponement benefits in real world settings and driven by numerical data.

Suggested Citation

  • Wong, Hartanto & Potter, Andrew & Naim, Mohamed, 2011. "Evaluation of postponement in the soluble coffee supply chain: A case study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(1), pages 355-364, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:proeco:v:131:y:2011:i:1:p:355-364
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925-5273(10)00321-X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alexander O. Brown & Hau L. Lee & Raja Petrakian, 2000. "Xilinx Improves Its Semiconductor Supply Chain Using Product and Process Postponement," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 30(4), pages 65-80, August.
    2. Li, Jian & Edwin Cheng, T.C. & Wang, Shouyang, 2007. "Analysis of postponement strategy for perishable items by EOQ-based models," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(1), pages 31-38, May.
    3. Hau L. Lee & Corey Billington & Brent Carter, 1993. "Hewlett-Packard Gains Control of Inventory and Service through Design for Localization," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 23(4), pages 1-11, August.
    4. Yossi Aviv & Awi Federgruen, 2001. "Design for Postponement: A Comprehensive Characterization of Its Benefits Under Unknown Demand Distributions," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 578-598, August.
    5. Li, Suhong & Ragu-Nathan, Bhanu & Ragu-Nathan, T.S. & Subba Rao, S., 2006. "The impact of supply chain management practices on competitive advantage and organizational performance," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 107-124, April.
    6. Yossi Aviv & Awi Federgruen, 2001. "Capacitated Multi-Item Inventory Systems with Random and Seasonally Fluctuating Demands: Implications for Postponement Strategies," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 47(4), pages 512-531, April.
    7. Jayashankar M. Swaminathan & Sridhar R. Tayur, 1998. "Managing Broader Product Lines through Delayed Differentiation Using Vanilla Boxes," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(12-Part-2), pages 161-172, December.
    8. Hau L. Lee & Christopher S. Tang, 1997. "Modelling the Costs and Benefits of Delayed Product Differentiation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(1), pages 40-53, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Weskamp, Christoph & Koberstein, Achim & Schwartz, Frank & Suhl, Leena & Voß, Stefan, 2019. "A two-stage stochastic programming approach for identifying optimal postponement strategies in supply chains with uncertain demand," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 123-138.
    2. Chung Yeh & Yu-Tang Lee, 2016. "Designing Pre-Reaction Production Mechanism for Traditional and Postponed Dyeing in Apparel Supply Chain," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 13(02), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Trigeorgis, Lenos & Tsekrekos, Andrianos E., 2018. "Real Options in Operations Research: A Review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 270(1), pages 1-24.
    4. Saghiri, Soroosh S. & Barnes, Stuart J., 2016. "Supplier flexibility and postponement implementation: An empirical analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 170-183.
    5. Benhamou, Latifa & Giard, Vincent & Khouloud, Mehdi & Fenies, Pierres & Fontane, Frédéric, 2020. "Reverse Blending: An economically efficient approach to the challenge of fertilizer mass customization," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    6. Juan Pineiro-Chousa & Marcos Vizcaíno-González, 2020. "A mathematical model for the role of third party funding in reputation building of academic institutions," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 365-377, April.
    7. Pineiro-Chousa, Juan & Vizcaíno-González, Marcos, 2016. "A quantum derivation of a reputational risk premium," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 304-309.

    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. Işık Biçer & Florian Lücker & Tamer Boyacı, 2022. "Beyond Retail Stores: Managing Product Proliferation along the Supply Chain," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(3), pages 1135-1156, March.
    2. Qing Li & Xiaoli Wu & Ki Ling Cheung, 2009. "Optimal Policies for Inventory Systems with Separate Delivery-Request and Order-Quantity Decisions," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 57(3), pages 626-636, June.
    3. Jewkes, Elizabeth M. & Alfa, Attahiru S., 2009. "A queueing model of delayed product differentiation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 199(3), pages 734-743, December.
    4. Li, Jian & Wang, Shouyang & Cheng, T.C. Edwin, 2008. "Analysis of postponement strategy by EPQ-based models with planned backorders," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 777-788, October.
    5. Tang, Christopher S., 2006. "Perspectives in supply chain risk management," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(2), pages 451-488, October.
    6. Weskamp, Christoph & Koberstein, Achim & Schwartz, Frank & Suhl, Leena & Voß, Stefan, 2019. "A two-stage stochastic programming approach for identifying optimal postponement strategies in supply chains with uncertain demand," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 123-138.
    7. Jiri Chod & David Pyke & Nils Rudi, 2010. "The Value of Flexibility in Make-to-Order Systems: The Effect of Demand Correlation," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 58(4-part-1), pages 834-848, August.
    8. Mustafa Doğru & A. Kok & G. Houtum, 2013. "Newsvendor characterizations for one-warehouse multi-retailer inventory systems with discrete demand under the balance assumption," 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. 21(3), pages 541-559, September.
    9. Sharda, Bikram & Akiya, Naoko, 2012. "Selecting make-to-stock and postponement policies for different products in a chemical plant: A case study using discrete event simulation," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(1), pages 161-171.
    10. Kai-Lung Hui, 2004. "Product Variety Under Brand Influence: An Empirical Investigation of Personal Computer Demand," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(5), pages 686-700, May.
    11. Wei, Liqun & Zhang, Jianxiong, 2021. "Strategic substitutes or complements? The relationship between capacity sharing and postponement flexibility," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 294(1), pages 138-148.
    12. Song, Zhe & Kusiak, Andrew, 2010. "Mining Pareto-optimal modules for delayed product differentiation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 201(1), pages 123-128, February.
    13. Katsuyoshi Takashima, 2010. "Defining Product Customization as Form Postponement," Discussion Papers 2010-18, Kobe University, Graduate School of Business Administration.
    14. Yang, Liu & Ng, C.T., 2014. "Flexible capacity strategy with multiple market periods under demand uncertainty and investment constraint," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 236(2), pages 511-521.
    15. Gunasekaran, Angappa & Ngai, Eric W.T., 2009. "Modeling and analysis of build-to-order supply chains," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 195(2), pages 319-334, June.
    16. Yossi Aviv & Awi Federgruen, 2001. "Design for Postponement: A Comprehensive Characterization of Its Benefits Under Unknown Demand Distributions," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 578-598, August.
    17. Alfaro, José A. & Corbett, Charles J., 2000. "The value of SKU rationalization: the pooling effect under suboptimal inventory policies," DEE - Working Papers. Business Economics. WB 9917, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía de la Empresa.
    18. Feng Cheng* & Markus Ettl & Yingdong Lu & David D. Yao, 2012. "A Production–Inventory Model for a Push–Pull Manufacturing System with Capacity and Service Level Constraints," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 21(4), pages 668-681, July.
    19. Ngniatedema, Thomas & Fono, Louis Aimé & Mbondo, Georges Dieudonné, 2015. "A delayed product customization cost model with supplier delivery performance," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 243(1), pages 109-119.
    20. Guillermo Gallego & Özalp Özer & Paul Zipkin, 2007. "Bounds, Heuristics, and Approximations for Distribution Systems," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 55(3), pages 503-517, June.

    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:eee:proeco:v:131:y:2011:i:1:p:355-364. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ijpe .

    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.