Bargaining in competing supply chains with uncertainty

Substantial literature has been devoted to supply chain coordination. The majority of this literature ignores competition between supply chains. Moreover, a significant part of this literature focuses on coordination that induce the supply chain members to follow strategies that produce the equilibria chosen by a vertically integrated supply chain. This paper investigates the equilibrium behavior of two competing supply chains in the presence of demand uncertainty. We consider joint pricing and quantity decisions and competition under three possible supply chain strategies: Vertical Integration (VI), Manufacturer’s Stackelberg (MS), and Bargaining on the Wholesale price (BW(α), α is the bargaining parameter) over a single or infinitely many periods. We show that, in contrast to earlier literature, using VIVI (VI in both chains) is the unique Nash Equilibrium over one period decision, while using MSMS or BW(α)BW(α) may be Nash Equilibrium over infinitely many periods.     

Pricing and advertisement in a manufacturer–retailer supply chain

We use a game theoretical approach to study pricing and advertisement decisions in a manufacturer–retailer supply chain when price discounts are offered by both the manufacturer and retailer. When the manufacturer is the leader of the game, we obtained Stackelberg equilibrium with manufacturer’s local allowance, national brand name investment, manufacturer’s preferred price discount, retailer’s price discount, and local advertising expense. For the special case of two-stage equilibrium when the manufacturer’s price discount is exogenous, we found that the retailer is willing to increase local advertising expense if the manufacturer increases local advertising allowance and provides deeper price discount, or if the manufacturer decreases its brand name investment. When both the manufacturer and retailer have power, Nash equilibrium in a competition game is obtained. The comparison between the Nash equilibrium and Stackelberg equilibrium shows that the manufacturer always prefers Stackelberg equilibrium, but there is no definitive conclusion for the retailer. The bargaining power can be used to determine the profit sharing between the manufacturer and the retailer. Once the profit sharing is determined, we suggest a simple contract to help the manufacturer and retailer obtain their desired profit sharing.     

基于风险厌恶零售商的双渠道闭环供应链运作策略

在对称信息框架下,针对零售商存在风险厌恶特性的双渠道闭环供应链,基于Stackelberg博弈理论探讨了不同的回收再制造模式下(制造商不回收再制造、制造商独立回收再制造、制造商依托零售商回收再制造)供应链各主体的运作决策。研究发现,在不同回收再制造模式下,制造商与风险厌恶的零售商合作能够获得更多收益。市场波动的增大对供应链各主体并非始终是有害的,随着市场波动的增大,带有风险厌恶的零售商收益不断减小,而风险中性的双渠道制造商收益逐步增大,零售商风险厌恶特性为制造商带来了更多的收益。制造商独立回收再制造以及通过零售商进行回收再制造时,双渠道产品定价均低于不进行任何回收再制造模式下的定价,双渠道需求和利润均高于不进行任何回收再制造模式下的渠道需求和利润,即回收再制造模式不仅为下游顾客带来了更多的消费实惠,同时也为供应链各主体带来了更多的收益。     

Pricing and effort investment for a newsvendor-type product

We investigate a dominant retailer’s optimal joint strategy of pricing and timing of effort investment and analyze how it influences the decision of the manufacturer, the total supply chain profit, and the consumers’ payoff. We consider two pricing schemes of the retailer, namely, dollar markup and percentage markup, and two effort-investment sequences, namely, ex-ante and ex-post. A combination of four cases is analyzed. Our results show that: (1) under the same effort-decision sequence, a percentage-markup pricing scheme leads to higher expected profit for the retailer and the whole supply chain, but a lower expected profit for the manufacturer and a higher retail price for the consumers; (2) under the same markup-pricing strategy, the dominant retailer always prefers to postpone her effort decision until the manufacturer makes a commitment to wholesale price, since it can result in a Pareto-improvement for all the supply chain members. That is, the retailer’s and manufacturer’s expected profits are higher and the consumers pay a lower retail price; and (3) among the four joint strategies, the dominant retailer always prefers the joint strategy of percentage-markup plus ex-post effort decision. However, the dominated manufacturer always prefers the joint strategy of dollar-markup plus ex-post effort decision, which is also beneficial to the end consumers.     

顾客策略行为下基于联合促销努力的风险规避供应链协调模型

本文在考虑顾客策略行为情形下,利用条件风险度量准则建立了带有联合促销努力供应链协调模型,研究了风险规避对销售商和供应商决策行为的影响,得到了如下研究结论:(1)集中决策情形,价格承诺策略既可以激励供应商提高生产量,还能够有效降低顾客策略行为对其产生的负面影响。(2)分散决策情形,销售商风险规避度增大,销售商的订购量将增加,供应商的销售努力也将增加;供应商风险规避度增大,销售商的订购量将减小,供应商的销售努力也将减小;无论供应商和销售商的风险规避如何变化,销售商的销售努力不变。(3)利用回购和成本分担组成的混合契约可以实现供应链完美协调。     

Optimal co-investment in supply chain infrastructure

This paper considers co-investment in a supply chain infrastructure using an inter-temporal model. We assume that firms’ capital is essentially the supply chain’s infrastructure. As a result, firms’ policies consist in selecting an optimal level of employment as well as the level of co-investment in the supply chain infrastructure. Several applications and examples are presented and open-loop, as well as feedback solutions are found for non-cooperating firms, long- and short-run investment cooperation and non-simultaneous moves (Stackelberg) firms. In particular, we show that a solution based on Nash and Stackelberg differential games provides the same level of capital investment. Thus, selecting the leader and the follower in a co-investment program does not matter. We show that in general, co-investments by firms vary both over time and across firms, and thereby render difficult the implementation of co-investment programs for future capital development. To overcome this problem, we derive conditions for firms’ investment share to remain unchanged over time and thus be easily planned.     

两阶段供应链联合服务定价决策和渠道策略

探讨了垂直整合、纳什整合、制造商Stackelberg以及零售商Stackelberg四个渠道策略中两阶段供应链的均衡行为.研究在服务水平同时决定和按顺序决定服务水平两种情况下四个渠道策略价格和服务水平策略的决定.将零售商的价格以及制造商和零售商的服务水平构建了一个确定性需求函数,探讨不同的渠道策略中制造商和零售商的最优配置.结果表明,垂直整合主导了其他策略,代表了最高的服务水平.研究结果为供应链成员最优服务水平以及渠道选择提供参考.     

随机需求下有产能约束的技术创新策略研究

在随机需求和技术变革的环境下,基于有产能约束的单供应商-单零售商的供应链结构,研究供应商分销价格决策和技术创新策略以及零售商订货决策。建立了三阶段Stackelberg博弈模型,通过逆推方法求得了供应商最优分销价格和技术创新策略以及零售商最优订货量,深入探讨了供应商产能、新技术出现概率以及市场需求期望与波动分别对供应商、零售商和供应链整体利润的影响。结果表明当供应商产能不足时进行技术创新会提高供应商和供应链的利润,但零售商因间接承担供应商技术创新的投资成本而利润下降;当供应商产能过剩时进行技术创新则会降低供应商及供应链的利润,而零售商的利润增加。新技术出现概率增加会提高供应链各成员的利润;提高市场需求期望并减小市场波动对供应商及供应链有利,但可能会降低零售商的利润。     

基于最优让步均衡协调策略的供应链差价补偿机制研究

制造商为了激励零售商订购更多数量的产品,会在产品零售价下调时提供给零售商一定的补偿,如何制定最优补偿机制是提高供应链收益的关键问题。为此,建立了两阶段销售差价补偿机制下制造商与零售商的博弈模型,分析了纳什均衡解和Stackelberg均衡解下制造商对零售商的差价补偿机制的决策行为,导出了在最优让步均衡策略下差价补偿机制定量关系,并提出了求解给定差价补偿系数下的近似最优让步均衡策略的算法。通过智能产品算例的分析,表明差价补偿机制能提高供应链的期望收益,增加零售商的订购量,进一步,说明差价补偿机制可以有效地改善零供关系。     

基于“进场费+收益共享”契约的供应链协调策略研究

在超市等自助零售环境下,影响产品需求的往往是产品的感知质量,而产品感知质量不仅取决于产品质量水平,还受货架空间展示量的影响。本文基于价格和感知质量依赖的需求函数,分别建立了一体化供应链集中决策模型以及考虑是否存在进场费的寄售契约下零售商主导的Stackelberg博弈模型,研究了制造商和零售商的产品定价和货架空间展示策略,并给出了进场费+收益共享的供应链协调策略。研究结果表明分散供应链环境下产品的最优零售价格并不总高于集中决策下产品的最优定价,也就是说提升感知质量在一定程度上可以缓解双重边际效应。另外,收取进场费的收益共享模式可以实现供应链的完美协调,这在理论上说明了进场费模式在一定的市场环境下是合理的。     

Joint pricing-servicing decision and channel strategies in the supply chain

This paper investigates the equilibrium behavior of a two-echelon supply chain in four channel strategies: (i) vertical integration, (ii) vertical Nash (iii) manufacturer’s Stackelberg and (vi) retailer’s Stackelberg. We examine the price and service level decision for each of the above four channel strategies in two cases: (i) Simultaneous service-level decision: Here, the manufacturer and retailer simultaneously choose a service level. (ii) Sequentially service-level decision: Here, the manufacturer and retailer sequentially choose a service level. We model the demand as a deterministic linear function of retailer’s price and both manufacturer’s and retailer’s service levels. We discuss the optimal configuration from each individual’s perspective for each of the above channel strategies. We show that vertical integration dominates other strategies and leads to the highest service level but lowest retail price among various channel coordination policies considered here. We yield several conclusions about the provision of service level by each supply chain individual to coordinate the channel.     

Wholesale pricing and evolutionarily stable strategies of retailers with imperfectly observable objective

This paper develops a one-population (indirect) evolutionary game model of a supply chain with one manufacturer/supplier and many (a sufficiently large number of) retailers to study how the retailer’s marketing objective depends on the wholesale price, its observability, the error probability of the observed result on the rival’s preference, the market scale and the retailer’s bargaining power. This paper also presents an algorithm for computing the optimal wholesale price of the manufacturer. We find that the profit (revenue) maximization behavior is an evolutionarily stable marketing strategy if the wholesale price is sufficiently high (low). Given an appropriate wholesale price, the revenue maximization behavior coexists with the profit maximization behavior in the retailers’ population. The larger the market scale, the stronger the motivation of the retailer to take profit maximization behavior due to a higher wholesale price. The cross effects of the retailer’s reservation payoff and the other factors should be considered in the decision process.     

Two-period pricing and decision strategies in a two-echelon supply chain under price-dependent demand

This paper presents a two-period supply chain model which is comprised of one manufacturer and one retailer who are involved in trading a single product. The demand rate in each period is dependent on the selling prices of the current period and the previous period. We assume that the manufacturer acts as the Stackelberg leader and declares wholesale price(s) to the retailer who follows the manufacturer’s decision and sets his selling prices for two consecutive periods. The manufacturer adopts one of the two pricing options: (1) setting the same wholesale price to both the selling periods (2) setting different wholesale prices to two different selling periods. Based on these pricing options, we develop four decision strategies of the manufacturer and the retailer and compare them. For a numerical example, we study the effects of these decision strategies on the optimal results of the supply chain. Further, we graphically analyze under what circumstances a particular decision strategy plays a dominant role.     

More than a second channel? Supply chain strategies in B2B spot markets

The emergence of B2B spot markets has greatly facilitated spot trading and impacted supply chain structures as well as the way commercial transactions take place between firms in many industries. While providing new opportunities, the B2B spot market also exposes participants to a price risk. This new business landscape raises some important questions on how the supplier and manufacturer should change their sales channel and procurement strategies and tailor their decisions to this changing environment. In this paper, we study the channel-choice, pricing and ordering/production decisions of the risk-averse supplier and manufacturer in a two-tier supply chain with a B2B spot market. Our analysis shows that, to benefit from the B2B spot market and control the risk exposure, the upstream supplier should develop an integrated channel-choice and pricing strategy. When the supplier adopts a dual-channel strategy, the equilibrium contract price decreases in the supplier’s risk attitude, but increases in the demand uncertainty. However, it first decreases and then increases in the manufacturer’s risk attitude and spot price volatility. We conclude that rather than simply being a second channel, the B2B spot market provides a strategic tool to supply chain members to achieve an advantageous position in their contract trading.     

线性需求供应链中供应商参股制造商的定价与协调

企业之间通过相互参股组成股权联盟提升收益和竞争力来应对多变的环境成为企业股权改革的趋势。在实际管理实践中,供应链各节点企业通过参股战略以改善各自绩效从而提升供应链效率。本文考虑在线性市场需求环境下,构建了由供应商A与制造商B组成的二级供应链,供应商A对制造商B实施参股战略的供应链模型。引入Stackelberg博弈模型,分别讨论分散式与集中式情况下各节点企业的最优决策。研究表明,供应商A对制造商B参股不能消除供应链双重边际效应,基于此设计了收益共享和线性转移支付的协调契约。该契约通过调整批发价使供应商A与制造商B以任意比例分配系统利润,使供应链完美协调。     

基于GMCR的双渠道供应链价格冲突动态交互模型

在冲突分析图模型中,稳定性分析的均衡结果和决策者偏好信息之间存在一个动态反复的交互过程。为此,本文提出了基于GMCR的冲突分析动态交互理论,在偏好信息和均衡结果之间引入决策者的风险认知系统,以动态模拟冲突中决策者的风险认知、偏好信息与均衡解之间的交互关系。然后,构建了基于GMCR的双渠道供应链价格冲突动态交互模型,从冲突分析动态交互视角解释了价格战背后制造商和零售商的博弈行为,并有效预测了风险规避情况下双渠道供应链价格冲突的均衡结果,为供应链管理者提供了一套系统有效的冲突分析工具。     

基于风险偏好的供应链企业社会责任投入与定价策略研究

本文研究制造商承担企业社会责任时,竞争市场下供应链的均衡价格策略。通过Stackelberg博弈模型,探讨供应链成员的风险规避程度、竞争市场的需求波动性和竞争市场的需求相关性以及制造商企业社会责任水平对供应链均衡策略的影响。研究表明,在制造商承担企业社会责任时,风险规避程度对价格策略的影响依赖于制造商企业社会责任水平的高低;竞争市场的需求波动性较大或竞争市场需求相关性较高时,制造商向下游风险规避型零售商提供较低的批发价格合约, 此时产品的市场价格降低,消费者福利增加;当制造商的生产成本较低时,承担越高的企业社会责任导致消费者福利增加;反之,当制造商的生产成本较高时,消费者福利总是减少。     

Manufacturer’s return policy in a two-stage supply chain with two risk-averse retailers and random demand

This paper studies the manufacturer’s return policy and the retailers’ decisions in a supply chain consisting of one manufacturer and two risk-averse retailers under a single-period setting with price-sensitive random demand. We characterize each retailer’s risk-embedded objective via conditional value-at-risk, and construct manufacturer-Stackelberg games with and without horizontal price competition between the retailers. We explore, through numerical studies, the effects of the retailers’ aversion to risk and other parameters on the manufacturer’s return policy and profit and the retailers’ decisions. We further investigate the effect of distribution asymmetry by comparing the results with normal and lognormal demand.     

Price and lead time decisions in dual-channel supply chains

Manufacturers today are increasingly adopting a dual channel to sell their products, i.e., the traditional retail channel and an online direct channel. Empirical studies have shown that service quality (we focus on the delivery lead time of the direct channel) even goes beyond product price as one of the major factors influencing consumer acceptance of the direct channel. Delivery lead time has significant effects on demand, profit, and pricing strategy. However, there is scant literature addressing the decision on the promised delivery lead time of a direct channel and its impact on the manufacturer’s and retailer’s pricing decisions. To fill this gap, we examine the optimal decisions of delivery lead time and prices in a centralized and a decentralized dual-channel supply chain using the two-stage optimization technique and Stackelberg game, and analyze the impacts of delivery lead time and customer acceptance of a direct channel on the manufacturer’s and retailer’s pricing behaviours. We analytically show that delivery lead time strongly influences the manufacturer’s and the retailer’s pricing strategies and profits. Our numerical studies reveal that the difference between the demand transfer ratios in the two channels with respect to delivery lead time and direct sale price, customer acceptance of the direct channel, and product type have great effects on the lead time and pricing decisions.     

A supply chain under limited-time promotion: The effect of customer sensitivity

We consider a two-echelon supply chain with a supplier and a retailer facing stochastic customer demands. The supplier is a leader who determines a wholesale price. In response, the retailer orders products and sets a price which affects customer demands. The goal of both players is to maximize their profits. We find the Stackelberg equilibrium and show that it is unique, not only when the supply chain is in a steady-state but also when it is in a transient state induced by a supplier’s promotion. There is a maximum length to the promotion, however, beyond which the equilibrium ceases to exist. Moreover, if customer sensitivity increases, then the wholesale equilibrium price decreases, product orders increase and product prices drop. This effect, well-observed in real life, does not, however, necessarily imply that the promotion is always beneficial. Conditions for the profitability of a limited-time promotion are shown and analyzed numerically. We discuss both open-loop and feedback policies and derive the conditions necessary for them to remain optimal under stochastic demand fluctuations.