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Governments use online platforms to keep track of transactions in the supply chain (SC) of subsidized foods to prevent fraud. Although regular checks of warehouses and documents were conducted, current platforms failed to resolve the issue. Blockchain technology (BT) provides governments with the ability to access transparent and real-time data to address these challenges. In this paper, we examine the key challenges influencing the implementation of a BT platform for managing subsidized food products in Iran. The barriers appear to be interconnected. We present a model that integrates the Best-Worst method (BWM) for obtaining independent weights and the Weighted Influence Non-Linear Gauge System (WINGS) using a rescaling scheme for considering the interrelatedness between the criteria. Expert opinions and literature reviews are used to identify critical factors. According to the findings, the costs of implementing and maintaining the system, as well as the regular restructuring of government rules regarding the data to be collected, are the two main challenges of implementing this new technology. Moreover, there are concerns about the cooperation with downstream entities of SC, cultural differences among partners, and their knowledge level, which may affect the complexity of downstream implementation. The results of sensitivity analysis show that WINGS gives greater weight to factors that have more impact on others. Conversely, the weight of factors that are interwoven with other factors and factors that aren't influenced by other factors is reduced as compared to the independent relative importance obtained from BWM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In real life conditions, the buyers sometimes pay all or a percentage of the product price before receiving it, and the wholesaler sometimes allows them to prepay it at equal intervals. The present study develops a new mathematical model for products with non-instantaneous deteriorating rates by considering consecutive advance payments. In the proposed inventory model, the shortage is consisting of lost sales along with backorders simultaneously. In addition, the model considers the backlogging as totally dependent on the waiting time for the further cycle. In addition, the appropriate conditions to achieve the optimal solutions have been developed, and numerical instances have been provided to verify and evaluate the results and solution method. The useful methods to effectively reduce the annual total cost are provided according to the results of the sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperative advertising is a cost-sharing mechanism in which a part of retailers' advertising investments are financed by the manufacturers. In recent years, investment among advertising options has become a difficult marketing issue. In this paper, the cooperative advertising problem with advertising options is investigated in a two-period horizon in which the market share in the second period depends on the decisions made in the first period. The problem is solved for two cases of the absence and presence of cooperative advertising contract, and the results are compared. The solution to the problem is presented using the concepts of the Nash equilibrium, Stackelberg game, stochastic games, and dynamic programming. The computational results using numerical examples show that if the cooperative advertising contract is offered in the win-win condition, the players' profit will increase significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a novel option-revenue sharing coordination contract framework. In the proposed model, the retailer determines the number of order sales effort. The manufacturer sets the price of products for the wholesale strategy. The investigated supply chain problem analyzes the results of different strategies. In the proposed coordination contract problem, two types of games including retailer-based game and manufacturer-based Stackelberg game are considered. In both cases the retailer adopts the value of order and the sales effort and the manufacturer determines the wholesale price. To assess the performance of the proposed contract, a wholesale and a basic selection contract are considered in the model. To obtain the Nash equilibrium in the retailer-based state of the proposed option-revenue sharing coordination contract problem, a hybrid algorithm consisting of a heuristic and a genetic algorithm is proposed by considering the computational complexities of the proposed model. A numerical comparison between the proposed contract and other cases demonstrates that the option-revenue sharing contract significantly dominates the basic option and the wholesale price contract. Finally, we implemented some numerical experiments on the critical parameters of the contract. Based on the results, increasing the price-dependency of demand results in less number of products ordered by the retailer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacity coordination, as the tactical level of hierarchical production planning in hybrid MTS/MTO systems, includes numerous important decisions. In this paper, two of these decisions i.e. finding the best strategy for the acceptance/rejection of incoming orders and determining orders' due dates - are investigated. Also a simulation model is proposed to evaluate the efficiency of the presented mixed integer model. Finally, an industrial case study is considered in a food processing plant to evaluate the proposed framework and conduct suitable sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses advanced available-to-promise (AATP) in mixed-model assembly line sequencing problems. In the developed framework, customers are prioritized with respect to 11 defined criteria using the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method, and order quantities are calculated using a nonlinear mathematical program. Next, a mixed binary nonlinear mathematical program is developed to determine the optimum sequence of the optimized order quantities to minimize the total lateness. Since the proposed models are intractable, a hybrid genetic algorithm–simulated annealing method is also developed. Finally, an industrial case study is reported, the results of which validate the developed AATP framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexibility in product mix and in promise date to customers are two traits which companies have to attain in order to stay powerfully in modern competitive market. This article proposes a particular parallel mixed-model assembly line balancing problem in an assemble-to-order environment for the first time. One of the lines works in conventional condition, the other one works faster and both of them produce similar products. The mixed-model assembly lines are useful to have varied and flexible products and also considering assemble-to-order environment enables companies to have higher flexibility in product mix and lead time (promise date). In this regard, a mathematical model that reflects real-world assembly line condition is developed for the problem. A hybrid genetic algorithm which minimises the weighted cycle time is proposed to solve such a complex problem. Finally, the proposed solution approach is implemented to solve a case study reflecting actual industry environment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]