Logistique et Supply Chain

The optimal tool routing for cutting machines, also known as cutting path optimisation is an important problem in production research. This problem is relevant in various manufacturing environments such as aeronautic, automotive, garment and semiconductor industries. In this paper, we introduce a general solution framework for the discrete Cutting Path Problem which includes: (i) the universal approach to reduce numerous settings of this problem to the appropriate auxiliary instances of the well-known Precedence Constrained Generalized Traveling Salesman Problem; (ii) the proposition of efficient solution methods for finding (sub-) optimal solutions. We carry out extensive computational experiments in order to evaluate performance of the proposed framework and the obtained results demonstrate its efficiency for real-life industrial instances.

Forecasting is a key concept in management.It consists of anticipating future events using available information.Forecasting is mainly based on past and present data.Its purpose is to support decision-making and planning.Managers use forecasts to allocate resources and reduce uncertainty.There are short-term and long-term forecasts.Forecasting methods can be qualitative or quantitative.Forecasts are estimates, not exact predictions.They must be updated regularly.

Black-box models make decisions that are difficult for humans to understand or explain. We only see their inputs and outputs, not the reasoning behind them. For example, an algorithm that screens job applicants might reject qualified candidates without clear reasons. This lack of transparency can weaken trust and accountability. Hidden biases may be learned from past data and quietly amplified, leading to discrimination that often goes unnoticed until it causes harm. Since employment decisions are highly regulated and must be fair and auditable, black-box systems complicate compliance and investigations. Therefore, transparency and human oversight are crucial to mitigate these risks.

This study investigates whether AI-driven ethical procurement systems enhance firms’ circular supply chain orientation and how governance mechanisms affect supplier cost performance. Using survey data from 393 Indian firms and structural equation modeling, the research confirms that AI-based ethical systems significantly strengthen circular supply chain orientation. Circular orientation promotes both relational and contractual governance, but only relational governance—built on trust and collaboration—improves supplier cost performance. Contractual governance shows no significant effect. The findings extend transaction cost economics by revealing that, in circular supply chains, cost efficiency depends more on flexible, trust-based relationships than on formal contracts. Managerially, the study highlights that AI and relational governance together are critical for achieving ethical, sustainable, and cost-effective procurement in the circular economy.

Sustainability depends less on consumer choices and more on how supply chains are structured. Research on Brazil’s beef sector shows that, despite the BRSL initiative to improve sustainability, results fell short. Four types of distance geographical, organizational, cultural, and relational hindered collaboration. These gaps created communication problems and weakened trust among stakeholders. Real progress requires external mediators, such as governments or NGOs, to reconnect the entire supply chain.

Antony, together with his colleagues from NEOMA, presents research conducted with the University of Bristol on how international companies choose countries for sourcing. The concept of "country risk," once focused on economic conditions and political stability, now includes three major sociopolitical factors: populism, which creates regulatory uncertainty; state fragility, which affects suppliers’ ability to deliver; and checks and balances, which can limit but not always prevent political drift. The study, covering 1,300 U.S. companies and their suppliers in 90 countries, shows that these factors directly influence sourcing decisions. Examples like Samsung and H&M illustrate this shift toward countries perceived as more stable. In conclusion, companies must strengthen their geopolitical monitoring to anticipate risks and secure their supply chains.

Robotic warehouses have transformed logistics, prioritizing speed and efficiency. However, traditional static priority systems often leave low-priority customers facing excessive delays, raising concerns about fairness. This research, based on Invia, a robotic warehouse company, proposes a dynamic priority allocation model to balance efficiency and fairness. By adjusting order priorities over time, this approach ensures that both high-priority and long-waiting low-priority orders receive timely fulfillment. Through stochastic modeling and simulations, we demonstrate that dynamic prioritization reduces delays compared to static and first-come, first-served (FCFS) models. Case studies in e-commerce and healthcare logistics illustrate the broader impact of fairness in automation. As industries increasingly rely on AI-driven decision-making, the balance between efficiency and equity becomes critical. This research challenges the assumption that robotic warehouses should optimize for speed alone and advocates for a future where fairness plays a central role in automated commerce.

The increasing impacts of climate change and extreme weather events have amplified the importance of supply chain resilience. This study focuses on creating a framework to strengthen supply chain endurance and contribute to ongoing discussions around resilience. A mixed-method approach is adopted, starting with qualitative research to identify key components of endurance, followed by an empirical analysis of its connection to supply chain and community resilience. The results underline the role of adaptive leadership, transparency, flexibility, collaboration, redundancy, and preparedness in enhancing endurance. This research highlights the critical need to develop these capabilities to support sustainable resilience for businesses and broader communities.

Sustainability is increasingly vital for companies, addressing regulations, customer expectations, cost, and efficiency. Industry 4.0 introduces powerful tools like Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and Big Data Analytics, which enable real-time data sharing, automation, and greater traceability across supply chains. However, successful implementation requires strategic integration: companies must set clear objectives, map processes, and align with partners to form a unified digital network. This approach fosters transparency and real-time collaboration, which can reduce waste and optimize resource use, ultimately driving sustainable growth and improving customer satisfaction.

Traditional supply chains are linear and slow, lacking real-time data sharing. Supply Chain 4.0, powered by Industry 4.0 technologies like AI, IoT, Blockchain, Big Data, and Autonomous robots, transforms these networks by integrating real-time communication among people, machines, and processes. This boosts efficiency through automation and advanced analytics, enabling accurate demand forecasting, cost reduction, and waste minimization. It also provides real-time visibility, allowing companies to track shipments and materials instantly.

Online shopping satisfaction hinges on two major factors: “fairness and security.” Customers want fair pricing, transparent processes, and respectful treatment—what researchers call distributive, procedural, and interactional “justice.”

Based on institutional theory and the dynamic capability view, this study delves into the relationship between a firm’s climate change adaptation (CCA) capability and its performance, with a focus on the mediating influence of business-to-business (B2B) marketing capability. The study poses two main research questions: RQ1: What role do institutional pressures play in fostering CCA capability among B2B firms in both developed and developing countries? RQ2: How does the CCA capability of B2B firms impact their performance? To validate the theoretical model developed, data is collected through surveys conducted in a developed country (Australia) and a developing country (South Africa). The study holds significance on two fronts: (a) being among the first to examine the influence of institutional pressures on CCA capability development, and (b) uncovering the mediating role of marketing capability in enhancing B2B firm performance through CCA capability. The study’s novel contribution lies in identifying pivotal elements for driving exceptional B2B firm performance amidst climate change, while employing institutional theory and the dynamic capability view to elucidate underlying mechanisms.

With improving environmental consciousness and the growing demand for valuable resources, waste recycling has become an important concern. This work studies the profit of recyclers and platforms with a degree of trust-building in the reverse logistics system considering the following scenarios: online recycling platform builds trust or not under centralized and decentralized models. The results show that trust-building can effectively make more revenue for the system of the online recycling platform with enhanced demand if the cost of the trust-building construction is relatively low. The revenue-sharing contract is more profitable than the cost-sharing contract but fails to achieve optimization in the integrated setting. We find a new decision support tool for optimal strategies under different decision-making models.

Sustainability is increasingly vital for companies, addressing regulations, customer expectations, cost, and efficiency. Industry 4.0 introduces powerful tools like Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and Big Data Analytics, which enable real-time data sharing, automation, and greater traceability across supply chains. However, successful implementation requires strategic integration: companies must set clear objectives, map processes, and align with partners to form a unified digital network. This approach fosters transparency and real-time collaboration, which can reduce waste and optimize resource use, ultimately driving sustainable growth and improving customer satisfaction.

Traditional supply chains are linear and slow, lacking real-time data sharing. Supply Chain 4.0, powered by Industry 4.0 technologies like AI, IoT, Blockchain, Big Data, and Autonomous robots, transforms these networks by integrating real-time communication among people, machines, and processes. This boosts efficiency through automation and advanced analytics, enabling accurate demand forecasting, cost reduction, and waste minimization. It also provides real-time visibility, allowing companies to track shipments and materials instantly.

Digital technologies can create confusion among donors in the humanitarian supply chain (HSC), leading to uncertainty about their use. While resilience in HSCs has been widely studied, antifragility has not. This study examines how donor confidence in digital technologies impacts antifragility in HSCs through their application in sourcing, material flow, and distribution, with trust in digital technologies and perceived effective digital technology governance as moderating factors. Using resource dependence theory, data from 296 NGOs were analyzed with partial least squares–based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that digital technology application is crucial for building an antifragile HSC and that donor confidence and trust in digital technologies are essential. NGOs should focus on enhancing trust and governance perception to facilitate digital transformation in HSCs.

Pitch pour le Prix FNEGE de la Meilleure Thèse en Management 2024 (thèse en 180 secondes) – Prix de thèse AIRL-SCM Dans un contexte de transformation numérique rapide, les métaux jouent un rôle crucial dans notre société. Cependant, leur approvisionnement est menacé par des facteurs tels que la complexité, la mondialisation et les enjeux miniers. Cette thèse développe une méthodologie de gestion des risques d’approvisionnement des métaux, basée sur deux domaines de recherche : la gestion des risques dans les chaînes d’approvisionnement (SCRM) et la criticité des matières. La méthodologie se compose de cinq étapes, incluant l’identification des réseaux prioritaires, la cartographie, l’estimation et l’évaluation des risques, ainsi que l’analyse et l’atténuation des risques. Validée par une étude de cas sur l’approvisionnement des plaquettes de silicium, cette recherche propose un cadre managérial et des outils pour une gestion proactive des risques.

Dans un contexte de transformation numérique rapide, les métaux jouent un rôle crucial dans notre société. Cependant, leur approvisionnement est menacé par des facteurs tels que la complexité, la mondialisation et les enjeux miniers. Cette thèse développe une méthodologie de gestion des risques d'approvisionnement des métaux, basée sur deux domaines de recherche : la gestion des risques dans les chaînes d'approvisionnement (SCRM) et la criticité des matières. La méthodologie se compose de cinq étapes, incluant l'identification des réseaux prioritaires, la cartographie, l'estimation et l'évaluation des risques, ainsi que l'analyse et l'atténuation des risques. Validée par une étude de cas sur l’approvisionnement des plaquettes de silicium, cette recherche propose un cadre managérial et des outils pour une gestion proactive des risques.

Based on institutional theory and the dynamic capability view, this study delves into the relationship between a firm’s climate change adaptation (CCA) capability and its performance, with a focus on the mediating influence of business-to-business (B2B) marketing capability. The study poses two main research questions: RQ1: What role do institutional pressures play in fostering CCA capability among B2B firms in both developed and developing countries? RQ2: How does the CCA capability of B2B firms impact their performance? To validate the theoretical model developed, data is collected through surveys conducted in a developed country (Australia) and a developing country (South Africa). The study holds significance on two fronts: (a) being among the first to examine the influence of institutional pressures on CCA capability development, and (b) uncovering the mediating role of marketing capability in enhancing B2B firm performance through CCA capability. The study’s novel contribution lies in identifying pivotal elements for driving exceptional B2B firm performance amidst climate change, while employing institutional theory and the dynamic capability view to elucidate underlying mechanisms.

Cette étude vise à évaluer le coût de l’auto-routage des agents dans un système de service avec des clients entrants et sortants. Les agents contrôlent les décisions de routage. En conséquence, ils décident de servir un client entrant ou sortant, ou de rester inactif. Le gestionnaire de système cherche à offrir un compromis approprié entre le choix des agents de servir les clients entrants et sortants en encourageant leurs actions par des paiements linéaires. Il se pose donc un problème de détermination du coût de l’auto-routage des agents, qui peut être interprété comme une variante du problème principal-agent où les efforts des agents sont dirigés vers le choix de leur politique de routage.

La coordination dans les chaînes logistiques a été largement étudiée sous l’angle de l’optimisation des coûts, mais cette pratique est également proposée comme solution pour réduire les émissions gaz à effet de serre. Cet article propose un modèle de gestion des stocks client-fournisseur comparant les coûts et les émissions obtenus dans le cas décentralisé et lors d’un prise de décision coordonnée. Ce modèle prend en compte les coûts et les émissions liés au transport et aux stockage, ainsi que les capacités des véhicules. Il est proposé des conditions suffisantes pour que la coordination permette de réduire les coûts et les émissions et nous démontrons que ces conditions sont satisfaites pour de nombreuses applications.

La théorie des contrats incomplets étudie les relations contractuelles où les termes ne peuvent pas être entièrement spécifiés. Elle examine les lacunes et les imperfections des contrats dans le monde réel, où il est difficile de prévoir toutes les éventualités. Cette théorie met l'accent sur les incitations et les mécanismes qui permettent aux parties de s'engager malgré le caractère incomplet de l'accord.

Le SCM (Supply Chain Management ou Management de la Chaîne Logistique) couvre l’ensemble des activités liées au macro-processus industriel de l’entreprise. Il englobe ainsi toutes les activités qui participent à la création et à la fabrication des produits commercialisés par l’entreprise (achats, approvisionnement, production, ADV, distribution, logistique).

Selon Baines et Lightfoot, la servicisation peut être considérée comme la transformation de la simple vente de produits à la vente d'une combinaison intégrée de produits et de services qui apporte de la valeur aux clients. Ces services associés aux produits peuvent être des services classiques et basiques (comme le service après-vente, la maintenance ou le financement) et des offres avancées plus complexes (comme la disponibilité de composants, la personnalisation de produits...

Cet article étudie la possibilité pour les importateurs de gérer un stock de conteneurs vides afin de permettre la réutilisation directe de ces conteneurs par des exportateurs situés dans les environs. La complexité d’élaboration d’une politique de gestion des conteneurs vides par les importateurs résulte de la non-linéarité des coûts de détention imposés par les compagnies maritimes, combiné à des coûts fixes de repositionnement. Nous formulons le problème comme un processus de décision de Markov en utilisant le temps d’attente du conteneur le plus ancien comme variable de décision. Ensuite, nous montrons qu’une politique de seuil dans l’âge du conteneur le plus ancien en stock est optimale parmi la classe des politiques basées sur le temps.

Les marques mondiales et les vendeurs au détail attendent de leurs fournisseurs qu’ils se conforment aux codes de conduite de fabrication stipulés ou aux normes minimales garantissant des environnements de travail sûrs et réduisant les conditions de travail exploitées. D’un autre côté du spectre, il exerce une pression sur les responsables de l’approvisionnement des marques pour assurer un approvisionnement éthique en équilibrant les besoins des parties prenantes. Les fournisseurs des économies émergentes sont confrontés à des difficultés pour atteindre les objectifs commerciaux, une des principales raisons de non-conformité, et de nombreux autres facteurs qui les obligent à ne pas se conformer.