Hybrid simulation based optimization approach for supply chain management

In this work, we propose a hybrid simulation optimization approach that addresses the problem of supply chain management. We formulated the problem as a mathematical model which minimizes the summation of production cost, transportation cost, inventory holding and shortage costs, subject to capacity and inventory balance constraints and propose a hybrid approach combining mathematical programming and simulation model to solve this problem. The main objective of this approach is to overcome the computational complexity associated with solving the underlying large-scale mixed integer linear problem and to provide a better representation of supply chain reality. The simulation-based optimization strategy uses an agent-based system to model the supply chain network. Each entity in the supply chain is represented as an agent whose activity is described by a collection of behavioral rules. The overall system is coupled with an optimization algorithm that is designed to address planning and scheduling level decisions. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.