Optimization of Logistics and Supply Chain Systems : Theory and Practice

This book is the collection of my own studies in the optimization of logistics and supply chain systems, targeted to a broad readership. In this book, first few chapters of the optimization concepts come out of the materials I used to refer while doing my research. I brought together some of these materials to form a guidance material on the fundamentals of the optimization concepts along with my own studies in the application of optimization methods. For a macro level logistics and supply chain systems optimization perspective, I added several chapters that are the results of my studies, which use the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP and GDyn) simulations. The static and dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) concept is also the essential part of the optimization study of logistics and supply chain systems. Therefore, the fundamentals of the static and dynamic (CGE) models are introduced. As the demand for logistics depends mostly on the volume of trade and trade patterns, international trade affects the transport and logistics, as it might generate a higher or lower demand for transport and logistics services, which are calculated by various approaches of optimization studies. This book consists of six parts and twenty chapters. The first part of the book, which includes three chapters, is about introduction to optimization with typical base problems and algorithms for solving these problems. The second part of this book includes five my own researches in the application of optimization methods. The third part of the book shortly introduces you to the general concepts of the computable general equilibrium models (CGE) and presents you the fundamentals of a CGE model. In each chapter of the fourth part, short articles that include five simulations based on various scenarios are presented. The fifth part of the book briefly introduces you to the basic concepts of the computable general equilibrium models (CGE) and then, presents you the fundamentals of dynamic general equilibrium models. In each chapter of the sixth part, two short articles that simulate various scenarios are presented. All the chapters in this book are independent of each other. I hope you will find this book informative, beneficial and appropriate for your needs.