Date
2000
Dewey
Gestion de production
Sujet
Single-level lot sizing; MRP systems; Cost-effectiveness; Nervousness; Robustness
JEL code
L23; M11
Journal issue
International Journal of Production Economics
Volume
64
Number
1-3
Publication date
03-2000
Article pages
197-208
Publisher
Elsevier Science
Author
Jonard, Nicolas
Jeunet, Jully
Type
Article accepté pour publication ou publié
Abstract (EN)
Cost-effectiveness and computational time are the traditional criteria for evaluating lot-sizing techniques. However, in evolving environments, frequent revisions of demand forecasts may induce various degrees of instability in planned orders, depending on the selected lot-sizing technique. In poorly flexible production systems, the cost of implementing these alterations may overcome the benefits from using a cost-efficient technique. In this paper, we evaluate lot-sizing techniques on the basis of two criteria. The first is the traditional cost-effectiveness criterion. The second, that we call robustness, is designed to capture some of the characteristic features of decision-making in uncertain environments. Robustness is related to the stability of the set-up streams when demand fluctuates. We propose and discuss several alternative measures of robustness. The simulation results clearly show an inverse relationship between cost-effectiveness and instability. Therefore, managers should take into account these two “opposite” dimensions in their decision process, under quite unforeseeable environments.