IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orinte/v32y2002i5p74-82.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Experimental Economics and Supply-Chain Management

Author

Listed:
  • Rachel Croson

    (Department of Operations and Information Management, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6366)

  • Karen Donohue

    (Department of Operations and Management Science, The Carlson School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455-9940)

Abstract

One area in which experimental economics methods have been used to study operations problems is supply-chain management. We survey results from a series of human experiments based on the popular beer distribution game and find cognitive limitations on the part of managers, in particular an underweighting of the supply line. We suggest mechanisms that may alleviate this bias, including sharing inventory and point-of-sale data, and reducing ordering and shipping delays. Our research provides managerial lessons and identifies supply-chain issues that need further experimental study.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachel Croson & Karen Donohue, 2002. "Experimental Economics and Supply-Chain Management," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 32(5), pages 74-82, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orinte:v:32:y:2002:i:5:p:74-82
    DOI: 10.1287/inte.32.5.74.37
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/inte.32.5.74.37
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/inte.32.5.74.37?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. 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.
    2. Daniel Kahneman & Dan Lovallo, 1993. "Timid Choices and Bold Forecasts: A Cognitive Perspective on Risk Taking," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(1), pages 17-31, January.
    3. Gérard P. Cachon, 1999. "Managing Supply Chain Demand Variability with Scheduled Ordering Policies," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(6), pages 843-856, June.
    4. Fangruo Chen, 1999. "Decentralized Supply Chains Subject to Information Delays," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(8), pages 1076-1090, August.
    5. Kahn, James A, 1987. "Inventories and the Volatility of Production," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(4), pages 667-679, September.
    6. Awi Federgruen & Paul Zipkin, 1984. "Computational Issues in an Infinite-Horizon, Multiechelon Inventory Model," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(4), pages 818-836, August.
    7. Manuel P. Baganha & Morris A. Cohen, 1998. "The Stabilizing Effect of Inventory in Supply Chains," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 46(3-supplem), pages 72-83, June.
    8. John D. Sterman, 1989. "Modeling Managerial Behavior: Misperceptions of Feedback in a Dynamic Decision Making Experiment," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(3), pages 321-339, March.
    9. Andrew Schotter & Keith Weigelt, 1992. "Behavioral Consequences of Corporate Incentives and Long-Term Bonuses: An Experimental Study," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(9), pages 1280-1298, September.
    10. Gérard P. Cachon & Martin A. Lariviere, 1999. "Capacity Choice and Allocation: Strategic Behavior and Supply Chain Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(8), pages 1091-1108, August.
    11. Sterman, John D., 1989. "Misperceptions of feedback in dynamic decision making," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 43(3), pages 301-335, June.
    12. Aram G. Sogomonian & Christopher S. Tang, 1993. "A Modeling Framework for Coordinating Promotion and Production Decisions within a Firm," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(2), pages 191-203, February.
    13. Hau L. Lee & V. Padmanabhan & Seungjin Whang, 1997. "Information Distortion in a Supply Chain: The Bullwhip Effect," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(4), pages 546-558, April.
    14. Smith, Vernon L, 1976. "Experimental Economics: Induced Value Theory," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 66(2), pages 274-279, May.
    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. Srinagesh Gavirneni & Yusen Xia, 2009. "Anchor Selection and Group Dynamics in Newsvendor Decisions---A Note," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 6(2), pages 87-97, June.
    2. Tony Haitao Cui & Guangwen Kong & Behrooz Pourghannad, 2020. "Is Simplicity the Ultimate Sophistication? The Superiority of Linear Pricing," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 29(7), pages 1767-1788, July.
    3. A Ishizaka & D Balkenborg & T Kaplan, 2011. "Does AHP help us make a choice? An experimental evaluation," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(10), pages 1801-1812, October.
    4. Ivana Kovacevic & Biljana Panic & Mirko Vujosevic & Marija Kuzmanovic, 2013. "Application of Transactional Analysis in Bullwhip Effect Analysis," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 15(33), pages 210-223, February.
    5. Đula, Ivan & Größler, Andreas, 2021. "Inequity aversion in dynamically complex supply chains," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 291(1), pages 309-322.
    6. Barbara B. Flynn & Xenophon Koufteros & Guanyi Lu, 2016. "On Theory in Supply Chain Uncertainty and its Implications for Supply Chain Integration," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 52(3), pages 3-27, July.
    7. Wilfred Amaldoss & Teck-Hua Ho & Aradhna Krishna & Kay-Yut Chen & Preyas Desai & Ganesh Iyer & Sanjay Jain & Noah Lim & John Morgan & Ryan Oprea & Joydeep Srivasatava, 2008. "Experiments on strategic choices and markets," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 417-429, December.
    8. Joel H. Steckel & Sunil Gupta & Anirvan Banerji, 2004. "Supply Chain Decision Making: Will Shorter Cycle Times and Shared Point-of-Sale Information Necessarily Help?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(4), pages 458-464, April.
    9. Paulo Gonçalves & Mohammad Moshtari, 2021. "The impact of information visibility on ordering dynamics in a supply chain: a behavioral perspective," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 37(2-3), pages 126-154, April.
    10. Haines, Russell & Hough, Jill & Haines, Douglas, 2017. "A metacognitive perspective on decision making in supply chains: Revisiting the behavioral causes of the bullwhip effect," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 7-20.
    11. Son, Joong Y. & Sheu, Chwen, 2008. "The impact of replenishment policy deviations in a decentralized supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(2), pages 785-804, June.
    12. Zhao, Yingshuai & Zhao, Xiaobo, 2015. "On human decision behavior in multi-echelon inventory management," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 116-128.
    13. Villa, Sebastián, 2022. "Competing for supply and demand: Understanding retailers' ordering decisions," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    14. Francesca Gino & Gary Pisano, 2008. "Toward a Theory of Behavioral Operations," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 10(4), pages 676-691, March.
    15. Haeussler, Stefan & Stefan, Matthias & Schneckenreither, Manuel & Onay, Anita, 2021. "The lead time updating trap: Analyzing human behavior in capacitated supply chains," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    16. Kay-Yut Chen & Murat Kaya & Özalp Özer, 2008. "Dual Sales Channel Management with Service Competition," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 10(4), pages 654-675, June.
    17. Cantor, David E. & Katok, Elena, 2012. "Production smoothing in a serial supply chain: A laboratory investigation," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 781-794.
    18. Anna G. Devlin & Wedad Elmaghraby & Rebecca W. Hamilton, 2018. "Why do suppliers choose wholesale price contracts? End-of-season payments disincentivize retailer marketing effort," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 212-233, March.
    19. Marshall Fisher, 2007. "Strengthening the Empirical Base of Operations Management," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 9(4), pages 368-382, December.

    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. Rachel Croson & Karen Donohue, 2006. "Behavioral Causes of the Bullwhip Effect and the Observed Value of Inventory Information," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(3), pages 323-336, March.
    2. Gérard P. Cachon & Taylor Randall & Glen M. Schmidt, 2007. "In Search of the Bullwhip Effect," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 9(4), pages 457-479, April.
    3. Wang, Xun & Disney, Stephen M., 2016. "The bullwhip effect: Progress, trends and directions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 250(3), pages 691-701.
    4. Zhao, Yingshuai & Zhao, Xiaobo, 2015. "On human decision behavior in multi-echelon inventory management," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 116-128.
    5. QU, Zhan & RAFF, Horst, 2023. "Two-part tariffs, inventory stockpiling, and the bullwhip effect," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 308(1), pages 201-214.
    6. Anantaram Balakrishnan & Joseph Geunes & Michael S. Pangburn, 2004. "Coordinating Supply Chains by Controlling Upstream Variability Propagation," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 6(2), pages 163-183, July.
    7. Ma, Yungao & Wang, Nengmin & He, Zhengwen & Lu, Jizhou & Liang, Huigang, 2015. "Analysis of the bullwhip effect in two parallel supply chains with interacting price-sensitive demands," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 243(3), pages 815-825.
    8. Li Chen & Hau L. Lee, 2012. "Bullwhip Effect Measurement and Its Implications," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 60(4), pages 771-784, August.
    9. Ouyang, Yanfeng & Li, Xiaopeng, 2010. "The bullwhip effect in supply chain networks," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 201(3), pages 799-810, March.
    10. Ouyang, Yanfeng, 2007. "The effect of information sharing on supply chain stability and the bullwhip effect," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 182(3), pages 1107-1121, November.
    11. Ouyang, Yanfeng & Daganzo, Carlos, 2008. "Robust tests for the bullwhip effect in supply chains with stochastic dynamics," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 185(1), pages 340-353, February.
    12. Noel Watson & Yu-Sheng Zheng, 2005. "Decentralized Serial Supply Chains Subject to Order Delays and Information Distortion: Exploiting Real-Time Sales Data," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 7(2), pages 152-168, May.
    13. Yanfeng Ouyang & Carlos Daganzo, 2006. "Characterization of the Bullwhip Effect in Linear, Time-Invariant Supply Chains: Some Formulae and Tests," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(10), pages 1544-1556, October.
    14. Robert L. Bray & Haim Mendelson, 2012. "Information Transmission and the Bullwhip Effect: An Empirical Investigation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(5), pages 860-875, May.
    15. Hau L. Lee & V. Padmanabhan & Seungjin Whang, 2004. "Comments on "Information Distortion in a Supply Chain: The Bullwhip Effect"," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(12_supple), pages 1887-1893, December.
    16. Fangruo Chen, 1999. "Decentralized Supply Chains Subject to Information Delays," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(8), pages 1076-1090, August.
    17. Ying Rong & Lawrence V. Snyder & Zuo‐Jun Max Shen, 2017. "Bullwhip and reverse bullwhip effects under the rationing game," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 64(3), pages 203-216, April.
    18. Tangsucheeva, Rattachut & Prabhu, Vittaldas, 2014. "Stochastic financial analytics for cash flow forecasting," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 65-76.
    19. Lai, Richard, 2005. "Bullwhip in a Spanish Shop," MPRA Paper 4758, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Ouyang, Yanfeng & Daganzo, Carlos, 2006. "Counteracting the bullwhip effect with decentralized negotiations and advance demand information," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 363(1), pages 14-23.

    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:orinte:v:32:y:2002:i:5:p:74-82. 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.