On the determination of the control parameters of the optimal can-order policy

This paper considers the well-known class of can-order policies. This type of coordinated replenishment policies accounts for a joint set-up cost structure, where a major set-up cost is incurred for any order and an individual minor set-up cost is charged for each item in the replenishment. Recent comparative studies have pointed out that the performance of the optimal can-order policy is poor, compared to other coordinated replenishment strategies, when the major set-up cost is high. This paper shows that it is the approximate decomposition method to calculate the optimal canorder parameters which performs bad in such situations and not the policy itself. Attention is focused to a subclass of can-order policies, which is close to the optimal can-order policy for high major set-up costs. A solution procedure is developed to calculate the optimal control parameters of this policy. It is shown that a properly chosen combination of the solution procedures to calculate can-order parameters leads to a can-order strategy which performs as well as other coordinated replenishment policies.