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This paper delves into optimizing the rotation of relief supplies within the relief supply chain system, concentrating on reserve quantity decisions for governments and humanitarian organizations involved in disaster response. By integrating a trade-in strategy with suppliers, it ensures a precise and timely response to the fluctuating demand for relief supplies post-disaster. Utilizing the newsvendor model, optimization theory, and supply chain coordination principles, we developed a comprehensive model that calculates optimal reserve quantities for pre-positioning demanders. It also outlines the expected profit function for suppliers and a robust supply chain coordination model. The findings highlight that optimal stockpiling decisions for relief supplies are heavily influenced by cost parameters, material characteristics, and the relationship between trade-in pricing and market resale values. Notably, higher trade-in prices generally reduce the government's optimal reserve quantities, impacting strategic decisions within supply chain coordination. This research adds to disaster management literature by offering strategic insights into how coordination and pricing strategies can improve disaster preparedness and response efficiency and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, rural areas of China have experienced frequent occurrences of various natural disasters. These calamities pose significant threats to the safety, property, and mental well-being of rural residents while also presenting substantial obstacles to the sustainable development of the rural economy. Currently, emergency management in China faces several challenges such as inadequate emergency institutions, insufficient security policies, weak disaster infrastructure, and difficulties in information sharing. In light of this situation, we propose an intelligent command mode based on modern digital technology that capitalizes on its advantages and integrates early warning systems with decision-making processes and rescue operations to establish a comprehensive emergency event processing system. This innovative approach opens up new avenues for exploring and researching effective modes of rural emergency management. The article elaborates on how the construction of a smart rural emergency management mode facilitates the digital integration of disaster elements while enhancing the efficiency of emergency response efforts and promoting sustainable development. The research methodology employed includes literature review methods along with field research techniques and analysis methods. Finally, this discussion evaluates both the benefits and challenges associated with implementing this mode within rural emergency management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X party material flow (XPMF) is a new type of material flow (MF) under the emerging new information technology. Based on the theory of MF, this paper analyses the recent research progress that was made in XPMF from the angle of bio-evolution complexity including factor type primitive reconstruction driving type XPMF, enterprise primitive fractal synergetic type XPMF, adapting primitive swarm intelligence XPMF. Such progress has enriched and systematized the research of XPMF theory. Keywords X party material flow; PMF; supply chain; material flow mode; PMF fractal; PMF swarm intelligence; systems research, INTRODUCTION Based on the theory of material flow (MF) (Xu, 2002a, 2002b, 2003) and the theory of labour division and organization, the theory of X party material flow (XPMF) has [...]

The Beijing Winter Olympic Games is an extremely important event, and the supply of electricity is the basis for it. In order to prevent the sudden loss of power to the event, it is necessary to carry out power repair and restore normal power supply in the shortest possible time. Contemporary research is less focused on the emergency repair of power systems. This thesis studies the dispatching of power emergency materials in two stages and in the first stage, the minimum gap rate and the shortest time for material dispatching and transportation are mainly considered, and the required types of power emergency materials are dispatched from the storage near the Olympic venues to various power failure points. In the second stage, aiming at the shortage of power emergency materials at each fault point, the power emergency materials will be dispatched from the rear national power grid regional material reserve to the power emergency materials reserve near the Olympic venues and then dispatched to each power fault point through the power emergency materials reserve. Finally, this paper verifies the effectiveness of the combination of the primary and secondary dispatching models in an example, providing a reference for further improving the emergency response capability of the Olympic venues and improving the safety system of the power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After an earthquake, affected areas have insufficient medicinal supplies, thereby necessitating substantial distribution of first-aid medicine from other supply centers. To make a proper distribution schedule, we considered the timing of supply and demand. In the present study, a "sequential time window" is used to describe the time to generate of supply and demand and the time of supply delivery. Then, considering the sequential time window, we proposed two multiobjective scheduling models with the consideration of demand uncertainty; two multiobjective stochastic programming models were also proposed to solve the scheduling models. Moreover, this paper describes a simulation that was performed based on a first-aid medicine distribution problem during a Wenchuan earthquake response. The simulation results show that the methodologies proposed in this paper provide effective schedules for the distribution of first-aid medicine. The developed distribution schedule enables some supplies in the former time windows to be used in latter time windows. This schedule increases the utility of limited stocks and avoids the risk that all the supplies are used in the short-term, leaving no supplies for long-term use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Fast-growing online retail market provides convenience for customers. But it makes competition among online retailers fiercer as well. Online retailers need to improve online shoppers’ satisfaction level for the purpose of keeping their loyalty. As an important component in online retail market, logistics service affects online shoppers’ satisfaction level. By applying expectation confirmation theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore how customized logistics services (CLS) influences online shoppers’ satisfaction level and whether the relationship between them is moderated by product type. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from Tmall.com, the biggest online retail market in China. Exploratory factor analysis and two-way ANOVA were conducted to analyze the data. Findings – The results indicate that CLS positively impacts online shoppers’ satisfaction level. But product type does not have moderate effect on the relationship between CLS and online shoppers’ satisfaction level. Practical implications – Online retail market grows fast. As the number of retailers keeps increasing, competition in this market becomes fiercer. In order to attract new shoppers and increase shoppers’ loyalty, online retailers must make shopper satisfied with their purchase. CLS positively impacts online shoppers’ satisfaction level, online retailers should offer shoppers CLS. Originality/value – This study examines how customized logistics influences customer satisfaction, and extends literatures related to online customer satisfaction by integrating the factor CLS and opens the way for other studies related to logistics service customization. Furthermore, this study discusses how IoT will improve online retailers’ abilities in providing CLS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Monitoring the real-time temperature, humidity, and physical position status of goods is vital in the cold chain. Diverse logistics technologies and systems have been adopted in the cold chain for monitoring perishable goods. However, these technologies and systems are independent from each other. Data and information in them are not integrated so that information control is not effective. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – By integrating Internet of Things and tracking technologies, this paper proposes an intelligent tracking system, which is designed to achieve effective and fast live monitoring of goods in the cold chain at the lowest cost and with the largest network capacity and simplest protocols. Findings – Structure and information platform design mechanism are introduced. The key part of this system is a wireless sensor network built on Zigbee. Wireless sensors located in cold storages or refrigerated trucks are able to collect and transmit live data quickly and efficiently. Originality/value – Users of the proposed system can easily monitor goods transported in cold chains. In addition, the system assigns specific servers to save historical data for inquiries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The location and allocation of emergency supplies are an important part of emergency rescue work. The existing emergency location and allocation process is inefficient, costly, and neglects the psychology of victims. To improve the emergency relief work and solve the current problems, this paper introduces the victims' pain perception cost into the model, takes the lowest cost of the whole emergency rescue system as the goal, constructs a government–enterprise joint emergency material location–allocation model, and uses the simulated annealing algorithm to solve the model. This paper takes the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan Province as the background and verifies the validity and rationality of the model through a comparative analysis of case simulations. The results show that the model and algorithm can effectively solve the emergency supplies location–allocation problem considering the victims' pain perception, reflecting the idea of human-centered sustainable development and providing support for building a sustainable emergency relief system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes have catastrophic effects on the affected population, especially in undeveloped countries or regions. Minimizing the impact and consequences of earthquakes involves many decisions and disaster relief operations that should be optimized. A critical disaster management problem is to construct shelters with reasonable capacity in the right locations, allocate evacuees, and provide relief materials to them within a reasonable period. This study proposes a bi-objective hierarchical model with two stages, namely, the temporary shelter stage and the short-term shelter stage. The proposed objectives at different stages are to minimize the evacuation time, maximize the suitability based on qualitative factors, and minimize the number of sites while considering the demand, capacity, utilization, and budget constraints. The performance evaluation of the emergency shelter was carried out by fuzzy-VIKOR, and the most ideal location of the shelter was determined through multiple standards. Emergency management organizations can benefit from the collective expertise of multiple decision-makers because the proposed method uses their knowledge to automate the location and allocation process of shelters. In the case of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, the results of using this hybrid approach provide the government with a range of options. This method can realize the trade-off between efficiency and cost in the emergency shelter location and material distribution, and realize reliable solutions in disaster emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, frequent natural disasters have brought huge losses to human lives and property, directly affecting social stability and economic development. Since the driving factor of disaster management operations is speed, it will face severe challenges and tremendous pressure when matching the supply of emergency resources with the demand. However, it is difficult to figure out the demands of the affected area until the initial post-disaster assessment is completed and demand is constantly changing. The focus of this paper is to stratify the evacuation needs and predict the number of evacuees and supplies demanded after an earthquake. This research takes a large-scale earthquake as an example to analyze the characteristics of evacuation demand stratification and the factors that affect the demands of evacuees. The forecast model for the number of evacuees is selected and improved. Moreover, combining the influencing factors of materials demand and the number of evacuees, a forecast model of materials demand for evacuees is constructed. The proposed model is used in the case of the Ya'an earthquake in China to estimate the number of evacuees and the daily need for emergency supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters cause serious damage to buildings and infrastructure, and victims lose a comfortable living environment. A large number of people are left homeless. Emergency shelter is an important component that cannot be ignored in the comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation plan. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has collectively taken into account the rapid and accurate resettlement of evacuees by taking stratification of demand, distribution of supplies, and diversion evacuation as an organic model. Given the bottleneck of rapid and accurate resettlement in the complex sheltered environment, we combine field research, literature analysis, and previous case study. This paper explains that the three main factors that affect the resettlement of evacuees are the complexity of demand, the shortage of materials, and the blindness of refuge. Additionally, then an effective analysis framework of the hierarchy of demand, distribution rapidity and refuge accuracy are constructed. Finally, this paper puts forward the structural framework of demand for layered, comprehensive distribution and diversion of evacuees and further explains the structure relationship, mode of rescue and operation strategy of effective resettlement of evacuees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonable siting layout of reserve emergency supplies plays a critical role in rapid response and accurate rescue after disaster. People's life safety and health, as well as the psychological satisfaction brought by the government's excellent emergency rescue level, is an important guarantee for maintaining social stability and sustainable development. Based on the coverage model, considering demand graduation, this paper develops a bi-objective optimization model to determine the optimal location plan of graduated supplies by maximizing the rescue satisfaction and minimizing the number of warehouses. A heuristic multi-center clustering location algorithm is designed to solve the model. This model is applied to the prepositioning of emergency supplies in an earthquake affected area in Sichuan province, China to verify the effectiveness of the model and algorithm. Finally, the paper discusses the influence of demand graduation on the location of emergency supplies. The results show that reasonable location planning of different levels of supplies can effectively improve the rescue satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective distribution of public storage materials is the key to realizing rapid and accurate rescue of territories, which could truly solve the "last kilometer" problem of emergency rescue. At present, it is relatively rare to study the rapid and accurate distribution of emergency supplies by taking demand forecasts, emergency reserves, and distribution models as an organic whole. In view of the bottleneck of rapid and accurate rescue in the complex disaster environment, this paper selects various means such as field research, literature retrieval, and previous case analysis and uses the system analysis method. Next, this paper explains that the three main factors that affect the distribution of public storage materials are the demand of "black box", the scarcity of materials, and the blindness of distribution and constructs an effective analysis framework of demand predictability, material availability, and distribution accuracy. Finally, this paper puts forward the triangle structure framework of demand forecasting, virtual public storage, and comprehensive distribution and further explains the triangle structure relationship, operation mechanism, and operation strategy of effective distribution of public storage materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters can cause serious casualties and economic losses, and emergency shelters are effective measures to reduce disaster risks and protect lives. At present, the location models of refuge facilities often ignore the diversion of shelter from the perspective of humanitarian logistics and the needs of victims. Such models also seldom consider the impact of the pre-storage of relief materials on the location of shelters. In this study, on the basis of the different needs of disaster victims, shelters are divided into two types—basic life and psychological medical service guarantees. While considering the full coverage of shelter needs, capacities, and budget constraints, the shelter distance, the optimized distribution of refugees, and the pre-stock quantity of goods are optimized. The facility service quality is optimized on the basis of qualitative factors. This study proposes a multi-standard constrained site selection model to optimize the pre-disaster shelter site-allocation problem. The model is helpful for decision makers to influence shelter siting and victims' allocating process through their expertise and to obtain a solution that compromises multiple objectives. In this study, several basic cases are generated from the actual data of certain areas in Sichuan Province, a disaster-prone region in China, to verify the effectiveness of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the optimal number of emergency medical suppliers for the government to contract with in the context of public health events poses a challenging problem. Having too many suppliers can result in increased costs, while having too few suppliers can potentially expose the government to supply risks. Striking the right balance between these two factors is crucial in ensuring efficient and reliable emergency response and management. This study examines the process of determining the appropriate number of suppliers in emergency medical supply chain. By incorporating option contracts and employing the total cost of government procurement as the objective function, the analysis focuses on the impact of relevant parameters on the optimal number of suppliers. Furthermore, the study investigates the optimal supplier quantities under different types of option contracts. The proposed decision model for determining the optimal number of suppliers in this paper considers three key factors: the supply risk associated with emergency medical supplies, the reserve cost of government procurement, and the responsiveness of emergency medical supplies. Additionally, a method is introduced for selecting the quantity of emergency medical suppliers based on flexible contracts. This approach offers a scientific foundation for the government to effectively address the challenge of supplier quantity selection when faced with risks related to shortages, expiration, and the combination of both., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hou, Zhang and Zhang.)

Third-party logistics companies face a challenging task in minimizing inventory transportation costs due to the complexities of managing numerous suppliers. Effectively optimizing costs becomes a formidable problem for such companies. This empirical research has yielded strategies for minimizing the inventory transportation cost specifically for company D. Through a rigorous optimization process, the findings presented in this paper demonstrate an average reduction of 7.18% in company D's inventory transportation cost. By jointly optimizing inbound logistics inventory transportation under VMI-TPL mode, this study extends the theory of supplier managed inventory and improves the inbound logistics mode. The results of this study can provide quantitative support and decision-making references for the project operation management of company D and similar enterprises.