Operations Research Models for Sustainability in the Developing World

应对当今发展中世界最紧迫的挑战所需的一些技术已经存在。其中包括提供电力的太阳能电池板，以及饮用水的闪电和滤水器。然而，使这些技术在大范围内可用所需的供应链管理(SCM)工具往往无效。此外，据观察，经典的运筹学模式(为发达国家设计)在发展中国家不一定能充分发挥作用。这种观察是由后者驱动的，后者的特点是普遍存在的不确定性、不可靠的基础设施和低水平的信息。此外，发展中国家的典型供应链是高度分散和复杂的。这些连锁店由许多小型零售商和数以百万计的客户组成，预算紧张，风险厌恶程度高。因此，考虑到世界上较贫穷的消费者面临的特定背景的挑战，迫切需要进行研究，以改善他们的产品供应和服务供应。这项建议的总体目标是发展新的供应链管理工具的理论基础，从产品设计和生产计划到分销和逆向物流，帮助在发展中国家建立一个可持续的未来。 特别是，在避险和预算约束下协调和优化复杂的供应链是具有挑战性的。进行这种分析的一种自然方法是带有平衡约束的数学程序(MPEC)。这些问题无论在理论上还是在实践中都很难解决。在方法论方面，这项建议的主要贡献是开发新的分析和算法工具，以研究实际相关的MPEC。这些工具基于最优化、随机分析和博弈论。正如我最近的研究所表明的那样，利用特定MPEC的特殊结构可以带来新的见解。在实践方面，这些见解最终可能有助于揭示均衡的资源分配问题，以及供应链网络的设计。 具体地说，我将重点介绍与不同社会企业合作的五个项目。这些组织寻求同时提供巨大的社会效益(而不是许多营利性企业)，同时自筹资金(与许多非营利性组织相反)。我目前的合作项目包括在印度农村地区推广改善生活的新技术的企业，以及在印度运营医疗运输平台的企业。这项研究提案有可能通过分析的严谨性和经验相关性的结合，帮助加拿大在设计支持发展中国家可持续行动的量化方法方面成为世界领先的国家之一。

Some of the technologies required to address the most pressing challenges in the developing world today already exist. These include solar panels to provide electricity and lightning and water filters for potable water. However, the supply chain management (SCM) tools needed to make these technologies accessible on a wide scale are frequently ineffective. Moreover, it has been observed that classical operations research models (designed for developed countries) do not necessarily work adequately in developing countries. This observation is driven by the latter being characterized by pervasive uncertainty, unreliable infrastructure, and low levels of information. Moreover, typical supply chains in developing countries are highly decentralized and complex. These chains are composed of many small retailers, and millions of customers, with tight budget constraints and high risk-aversion. Thus, research that is tailored to improving product availability and service provision for the poorer consumers in the world, considering the context-specific challenges they face, is much needed. The general objective of this proposal is to develop the theoretical foundations of new SCM tools, from product design and production planning to distribution and reverse logistics that help to build a sustainable future in developing countries. In particular, coordinating and optimizing complex supply chains under risk-aversion and budget constraints is challenging. A natural methodology to conduct this analysis are Mathematical Programs with Equilibrium Constraints (MPECs). These problems are very hard to solve, both in theory and in practice. On the methodological side, the main contribution of this proposal is to develop new analytical and algorithmic tools to study MPECs that are practically relevant. These tools are based on optimization, stochastic analysis, and game theory. As demonstrated in my recent research, exploiting the special structure of specific MPECs can lead to novel insights. On the practical side, these insights may ultimately shed light on resource allocation problems in equilibrium, and the design of supply chain networks. Specifically, I will focus on five projects that involve collaborations with different social enterprises. These are organizations that seek to simultaneously deliver large societal benefits (as opposed to many for-profit businesses) while being self-funded (as opposed to many non-for-profit organizations). My current collaborations include enterprises that distribute new life-improving technologies in rural villages in India, and run a medical transportation platform in India. This research proposal has the potential, through a combination of analytical rigor and empirical relevance, to help establish Canada as one of the world's leaders in designing quantitative methodologies that support sustainable operations for the developing world.