关键词: 物流配送, 排程, 近似算法, 周期性需求

Abstract: This paper is focused on improving supplier’s service level in VMI system. We present a delivery scheduling problem to minimize the stock-out losses, when the retailers face a periodical demand and the supplier adopts direct delivery strategy. Considering the characteristic of retailers’ demand intervals, we design RTE strategy. For three different kinds of loss rates of stock out in reality (marginal loss rate, fixed loss rate, and increasing loss rate), we prove the approximation ratios of RTE strategy in different conditions respectively. After analyzing the approximation ratios and two computational examples, we find RTE strategy performs best for marginal loss rate, and even it can be an optimal stragety in some cases. The results are of significance to supplier’s delivery scheduling for a periodical demand.

Key words: logistics delivery, scheduling, approximation algorithm, periodical demand