Product-line planning under uncertainty


Thesis Type: Doctorate

Institution Of The Thesis: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering, Turkey

Approval Date: 2018

Student: ŞAKİR KARAKAYA

Supervisor: GÜLSER KÖKSAL

Abstract:

This study addresses the problem of multi-period mix of product-lines under a product- family, which incorporates launching decisions of new products, capacity expansion decisions and product interdependencies. The problem is modelled as a two-stage stochastic program with recourse in which price, demand, production cost and cannibalisation effect of new products are treated as uncertain parameters. The solution approach employs the Sample Average Approximation based on Monte Carlo bounding technique and multi-cut version of L-shaped method to solve approximate problems efficiently, which is tested on different cases considering VSS and EVPI performance measures. The data collected through two experimental studies is analysed using ANOVA and Random Forest methodology in order to understand which problem parameters are significant on the performance measures and to generate some rule-based inferences reflecting the relationship between significant parameters and the performance of the proposed stochastic model.