ABSTRACT
Time-based competition has been given more extensive attention by researchers
and practitioners since Stalk suggested that the time be a key source of competitive
advantage. The acceleration of the rhythm of people's lives, the "time factor" occupies
increasingly important position in the enterprise competition. Customers increasingly
want to get the commodities they need in the shortest time, and enterprises increasingly
hope that to they can continuously reduce time to maximum to meet customer
requirements through improving various processes, in order to enhance their
competitiveness. They are changing from the traditional sense, that is, from "provide the
highest value at the lowest cost" to "in the shortest possible time to provide the highest
value at the lowest cost".
Research on supply chains had found that the time consumed in the process of
logistics exceeds far more than that in manufacturing. Since the compressible space of
the manufacture sub-cycle is decreasing, it is more important to compress the logistics
sub-cycle. The birth of the concept of supply chain distribution network on time based
mainly results from the factors above.
This paper induce the time into the construction and optimization of the supply
chain distribution network, which is one of the most significant. Location of the
distribution centers (DCs) is one of the important decision problems in designing
distribution system. The locations of DCs decide the pattern, framework and form of
whole distributional system. By resolving different types of location-allocation issues,
the quantity, location and the size of the facilities can be decided. Through optimizing
those problems above, the distribution logistics network will be more in line with the
needs of modern commercial society.
The main content of the article is as follows: Firstly, embedding the time into the
model of supply chain, and analyzing on the relationship between the time and the cost,
we can get the conclusion. That is to shorten the time and to reduce the cost is not
ambivalent but accordant. Therefore, we should encourage enterprises adopting
time-based competition strategy with more positive attitude. Secondly, there are some
principles should be obey when we design the supply chain distribution network and
choose the logistics distribution center location and summed up the advantages and
disadvantages of different location methods. Thirdly, study on construction factors of
distribution and logistics network. According to response speed and different
commodity stocks, establish three different types of distribution and logistics network
structure, and compare their respective characteristics. Fourthly, from two different
perspectives on time-based competition in the supply chain distribution network
construction, established single and dual-objective function model, then designed
heuristic algorithms for solving the models. At last, establish two models and perform
mathematical calculations with the data, and get the optimum value to prove the
effectiveness of the algorithm.
By adding the time factor in this paper, It would make the enterprises to better
meet the actual needs and adapt to the development of the times
Key Words :Based on Time, Supply chain, Distribution network,
Location model