X. Cai and Gang Yu
We consider a supply chain where a manufacturer produces a variety of fresh products to supply to a distributor in a distant export market. The manufacturer faces the risk that a fresh product may decay during the process of long distance transportation, in particular in the presence of uncertain events (such as bad weather, airport delays, etc.). The distributor faces the risk that the demand for a product is uncertain and any unsold fresh products may lose its value after the sales period. While the profit potential in supplying the products to the export market is substantial, a great challenge for both parties is how to minimize the loss involved. Because time is a crucial element for fresh products, proper decisions regarding the timing to produce, deliver, and sell, become particularly critical in these situations. Main topics to be investigated include modelling to capture the prominent characteristics and concerns in different scenarios, derivation and analysis of optimal policies, and design and analysis of information and profit sharing schemes.