Global optimization for nonlinear supply chain management under uncertainty

供应链优化（Supply chain optimization， SCO）是供应链中生产、库存、位置和运输的最优协调，以实现整个系统的一个或多个目标。上海合作组织决策程序的效率和质量对公司在财务、经济和社会方面的可持续性至关重要。然而，可持续性考虑和不可避免的不确定性使SCO问题成为非常困难的数学优化问题，无法用经典的公式和求解方法很好地解决。本研究旨在利用不确定非线性过程系统全局优化的最新进展，为不确定条件下的SCO问题制定更有效、可靠的解决策略。它涉及两个项目。第一个项目是改进现有的基于分解的全球优化方法，以解决主要与供应链网络设计有关的上海合作组织战略问题。第二个项目是为上海合作组织的综合战略和战术问题开发新的公式和全局优化方法，同时优化供应链设计和操作决策。这项研究将与加拿大杜邦公司合作进行。研究结果不仅有利于杜邦公司，也有利于其他想要实现可持续供应链发展和运营的公司。研究中开发的软件包有可能商业化，从而催生新的衍生公司，为加拿大人创造更多就业机会。通过拟进行的研究，将培养一名硕士生和一名博士生，他们将获得加拿大工业界广泛需要的知识和技能。

Supply chain optimization (SCO) is the optimal coordination of production, inventory, location, and transportation in the supply chain to achieve one or multiple goals for the whole system. The efficiency and quality of SCO decision-making procedure is crucial to the sustainability of a company, financially, economically, and socially. However, the sustainability considerations and the unavoidable uncertainties make SCO problems very difficult mathematical optimization problems that can not be well solved using classical formulation and solution approaches. This research is to utilize the recent advances in global optimization of uncertain nonlinear process systems, to develop more efficient and reliable solution strategies for SCO under uncertainty. It involves two projects. The first project is to enhance an existing decomposition-based global optimization method for strategic SCO problems that are mainly concerned with supply chain network design. The second project is to develop new formulations and global optimization methods for integrated strategic and tactical SCO problems, which optimize supply chain design and operational decisions simultaneously. The research will be conducted in collaboration with DuPont Canada. The results of the research cannot only benefit DuPont, but also other companies that want to achieve sustainable supply chain development and operation. The software packages developed in the research can be potentially commercialized, leading to new spin-off companies and more jobs for Canadians. One master's student and one Ph.D. student will be trained through the proposed research, and they will acquire knowledge and skills widely sought by Canada's industries.