Sustainable supply chain network design: a multicriteria perspective

Abstract

In this paper we develop a rigorous modeling and analytical framework for the design of sustainable supply chain networks. We consider a firm that is engaged in determining the capacities of its various supply chain activities, that is, the manufacturing, storage, and distribution of the product to the demand locations. The firm is faced with both capital costs associated with constructing the link capacities as well as the links' operational costs. Moreover, the firm is aware of the emissions generated associated with the alternative manufacturing plants, storage facilities, and modes of transportation/shipment, which may have different levels of emissions due, for example, to distinct technologies of, respectively, production, storage, and transportation. The firm is assumed to be a multicriteria decisionmaker who seeks to not only minimize the total costs associated with design/construction and operation, but also to minimize the emissions generated, with an appropriate weight, which reflects the price of the emissions, associated with the various supply chain network activities. We provide both the network optimization modeling framework and an algorithm, which is then applied to compute solutions to a spectrum of numerical sustainable supply chain design examples in order to illustrate our approach.

Energy efficiency benchmarking for injection moulding processes

“…For example, the highest amount of energy to create a plastic part via injection moulding is needed for the production of the raw material. Even though, injection moulders are being made responsible for the ecological performance of their suppliers [32], they cannot directly influence the process of raw material production. Therefore, they do not need detailed energy information of this process.…”

Fragile networks: identifying vulnerabilities and synergies in an uncertain age

“…Finally, we believe that the ideas in this paper, coupled with some of our recent research in network design and sustainability (see also Nagurney and Nagurney, ), have direct relevance to energy networks of the 21st century, such as the smart grid, which will involve decentralized decision‐making, the use of renewable sources of energy, smart appliances, advanced information technology, sensors, and dynamic pricing, to transform electric power provision in modern societies. As the smart grid evolves, attention must be placed on ensuring its robustness.…”

State-of-the-art sustainability analysis methodologies for efficient decision support in green production operations

“…Recently, a network optimisation modelling framework and an MCDA algorithm have provided to compute solutions to sustainable supply networks design (Nagurney and Nagurney 2010). Analysis is centred on the evaluation of the effects of different configurations on the resulting total supply chain performance.…”