Potentials for Efficiency Increase in Modern Freight Forwarding

153 Pages·2008·1.433 MB·English

by  Marta Anna Krajewska (auth.)

Marta Anna Krajewska
Potentials for Efficiency Increase in
Modern Freight Forwarding
GABLER EDITION WISSENSCHAFT
Marta Anna Krajewska
Potentials for
Efficiency Increase in
Modern Freight Forwarding
GABLER EDITION WISSENSCHAFT
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Dissertation Universität Bremen, 2007
1st Edition 2008
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Foreword
Thecentralfocusofthisbookconsistsintheinclusionofnewimportant
aspects of practical relevance, such as different subcontraction possi-
bilities and cooperative planning approaches to the operational trans-
portation planning in the commercial road haulage. The book presents
the concepts, models and algorithms for the efficiency increase in the
operational transportation planning that include the subcontraction-
and collaborative planning concepts developed far beyond the state of
the art. The derivation and application of these concepts results in the
extension of the intensively investigated problems of vehicle routing
and scheduling to the integrated operational transportation planning
problem with several subcontraction forms and collaborative request
execution.
Even if the additional aspect of collaboration (which is itself of high
complexity) is not considered, the full complexity of the operational
transportation planning still remains insufficiently investigated in the
scientificliterature.Theauthorpresentsaninnovativeapproachinclud-
ing simultaneously several subcontraction forms, which - although of
high practical importance - has not yet been discussed in literature.
Thereexistsnooptimizationsoftware,nottomentionacomprehensive
Decision Support System, for the extended problem solved thousand
fold daily in freight forwarding companies. On the basis of a real-life
analysis an algorithm is developed by the author in order to solve this
highly complex combinatorial optimization problem. The usage of the
tabu search method seems reasonable. It allows adapting the latest
methodical cognitions to the presented algorithm. Test series for the
cost parameter variation of the different transportation modes show
promising results and recommendations for the aimed mix between
self-fulfillment and subcontraction. In this way, the developed algo-
VI Foreword
rithm can be used beyond the operational planning horizon, namely
for the long-term capacity analysis of the own fleet.
Due to the further extension by collaborative planning, additional es-
sential potentials for efficiency increase are generated. A profit sharing
concept is presented which plays a leading role in the collaborative
planning. The profit sharing model for the groupage system, presented
in this scientific work at hand, has a theoretical background and is of
highpracticalrelevanceaswell.Thus,itisevaluatedinapracticalcon-
text. On the contrary, the tests for estimating the cooperation benefits
are conducted more on the theoretical level.
This book contains the important findings of theoretical and practical
relevance for the research field of transportation planning. Therefore,
it is essential for reading for researchers and students of logistics and
combinatorialoptimizationaswellasforexecutivesintheareaoftrans-
portation planning.
Herbert Kopfer
Preface
This book forms the outcome of my PhD thesis that I was working on
as a scientific associate at the Chair of Logistics, University of Bremen
for nearly three years now. However, nothing is achieved in isolation.
During the research time I worked with and was supported by many
persons, whom I am deeply grateful.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Herbert Kopfer, owner of the Chair of Logistics at the
University of Bremen offered me the chance to deepen my knowledge
in the field of logistics yet during my studies. Since then he has been
motivating and supervising my work continuously. He helped me to
understand and to investigate my research focus. This work involves
partly the results of our joint research published in several scientific
editions. Moreover, Prof. Kopfer introduced me to the international
scientific network, as well as to the applied project where I could ob-
tain some practical experience. Thus, I am deeply indebted to him.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to Prof. Dr. Gilbert Laporte
from the ‘Centre for research on transportation’ in Monteal. I had the
honor to work with him as he invited me for scientific exchange to
Montreal.Hemotivatedandsupervisedapartofthiswork,offeringhis
professional experience. I am also very thankful to Dr. Stefan Ropke
who helped me very much patiently supporting me in my work during
my stay in Montreal.
I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Hans-Dietrich Haasis who was the sec-
ond referee of this thesis.
My colleagues Andrzej Jan Jurczyk, Christoph Manuel Meyer, Katrin
Dorow and Dr. Nadja Shigo supported me in different ways. From the
beginningofmystayattheChairofLogisticstheyalwaysfoundenough
time when I needed their help or advice.
IntheappliedprojectIhadapleasuretoworkwithmanygreatpeople
VIII Preface
from the company Stute GmbH who let me understand the practical
issues and provided me with their precious know-how. I am especially
gratefultoKaiBarwig,ChristianDornbuschandOliverScharschuhfor
their support.
My family believed in me sometimes even stronger than I believed in
myself. They encouraged me to start and continue my PhD project,
helping me continously. They have always been there for me as an un-
wavering support. They kept faith with my goals and always tried to
guide my attention to the positive aspects. I dedicate special thanks
to my parents Magda and Jarek and to my grandparents Henryka and
Piotr. Thank you for your love, help and trust in me.
There are two engineers who offered me much understanding and at-
tention all the time. They rescued me from dead ends and supported
me with their technical contribution when it was essential for my re-
search.TheyaremybrotherKubaandmyboyfriendMatko.Thisbook
is dedicated to them.
Marta Anna Krajewska
Contents
Foreword ................................................ V
Preface .................................................. VII
1 Introduction ......................................... 1
1.1 Current trends on the freight forwarding market ....... 3
1.2 Corporate structure of a freight forwarder ............. 6
1.3 Objectives of the thesis ............................. 7
Part I Integrated operational transportation planning
2 Integrated operational transportation planning in
practice .............................................. 13
2.1 Market trends ..................................... 14
2.2 Frames for operational planning...................... 16
2.3 Process modeling................................... 20
2.4 Behavioral aspects ................................. 23
3 Integrated operational transportation planning in
theory ............................................... 27
3.1 Modeling characteristics............................. 28
3.1.1 Requests .................................... 28
3.1.2 Objective function ............................ 29
3.1.3 Self-fulfillment cluster ......................... 29
3.1.4 Subcontraction cluster ........................ 32
3.2 Solution methodology............................... 34
3.2.1 Integration of the clusters...................... 35
3.2.2 Applied solution methods...................... 37
X Contents
3.3 Problem extensions................................. 40
4 Integrated operational transportation planning in a
profit centre ......................................... 43
4.1 Problem structure.................................. 43
4.1.1 Planning framework........................... 43
4.1.2 Planning aims................................ 47
4.1.3 Example..................................... 49
4.2 Problem extensions................................. 53
5 Solving the integrated operational transportation
planning problem .................................... 55
5.1 General remarks ................................... 55
5.2 Specification....................................... 57
6 Long-term issues for integrated operational
transportation planning .............................. 69
6.1 Analysis of capacity structure........................ 72
6.2 Analysis of cost structure ........................... 78
6.2.1 Varying tariffs for real-life example.............. 78
6.2.2 Instance structure vs. cost structure............. 80
Part II Collaborative planning
7 Collaboration in practice............................. 89
7.1 Advantages of the collaboration among profit centers ... 91
7.2 Impediments of the collaboration among profit centers .. 96
8 Collaboration in theory .............................. 101
8.1 Existing theoretical collaborative approaches........... 101
8.2 Preliminaries for collaboration modeling............... 105
8.2.1 Operations Research Games.................... 105
8.2.2 Combinatorial auctions........................ 108
9 Modeling collaboration of profit centers.............. 113
9.1 Description of the collaboration process ............... 113
9.2 Formal statement of the collaboration process.......... 117
9.3 Example .......................................... 123