Springer Decision Policies for Production Networks

The financial results of any manufacturing company can be dramatically impacted by the  repetitive decisions required to control a complex production network be it a network of machines in a factory; a network of factories in a company; or a network of companies in a supply chain. Decision Policies for Production Networks presents recent convergent research on developing policies for operating production networks including details of practical control and decision techniques which can be applied to improve the effectiveness and economic efficiency of production networks worldwide. Researchers and practitioners come together to explore a wide variety of approaches to a range of topics including: WIP and equipment management policies, Material release policies, Machine, factory, and supply chain network policies for delivery in the face of supply and demand variability, and Conflicts between complex production network models and their controlling policies. Case studies and relevant mathematical techniques are included to support and explain techniques such as heuristics, global and hierarchical optimization, control theory and filtering approaches related to complex systems or traffic flows. Decision Policies for Production Networks acts as handbook for researchers and practitioners alike, providing findings and information which can be applied to develop methods and advance further research across production networks. Review From the reviews:“This volume is to inform the interested reader of the latest theories, methodologies, and practical approaches for dealing with the technical and operational issues of production planning in these production networks. … this book represents one of the latest contributions to our understanding of production networks and the myriad factors that make them so challenging and interesting.” (J. MacGregor Smith, Interfaces, Vol. 43 (2), March-April, 2013) From the Back Cover The financial results of any manufacturing company can be dramatically impacted by the  repetitive decisions required to control a complex production network be it a network of machines in a factory; a network of factories in a company; or a network of companies in a supply chain. Decision Policies for Production Networks presents recent convergent research on developing policies for operating production networks including details of practical control and decision techniques which can be applied to improve the effectiveness and economic efficiency of production networks worldwide. Researchers and practitioners come together to explore a wide variety of approaches to a range of topics including: •WIP and equipment management policies, •Material release policies, •Machine, factory, and supply chain network policies for delivery in the face of supply and demand variability, and •Conflicts between complex production network models and their controlling policies. Case studies and relevant mathematical techniques are included to support and explain techniques such as heuristics, global and hierarchical optimization, control theory and filtering approaches related to complex systems or traffic flows. Decision Policies for Production Networks acts as handbook for researchers and practitioners alike, providing findings and information which can be applied to develop methods and advance further research across production networks. About the Author Dieter Armbruster is a professor in Arizona State University's Department of Mathematics, where he has been Interim Chair since 2005. He has written scientific publications on dynamic systems, control, and nonlinear dynamics with applications in physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. Over the last 10 years his interests have focused on applications of these mathematical techniques in modelling and decision-making in production systems. Karl Kempf has been involved in the design and operation of successful commercial product