Our research seminars provide a forum for advanced academic debate. They are designed to acquaint staff and postgraduate students with the latest research developments.
Seminars include the presentation of work in progress, practice runs for conference papers, the discussion of research processes, debate on research philosophies, the presentation of findings, conference reports and idea generating sessions.
For more details contact c.r.matthews@brighton.ac.uk.
Forthcoming seminars
"Global supply chain design: Understanding costs through dynamic modelling"
Peter McCullen
19th June, 2013>
Supply chain modelling can be used to understand the cost behaviour of alternative supply network designs, and to help to choose the best solution. Sophisticated models can help to explain the trade-offs, but may be too complex to communicate to key decision makers. Simple models can be persuasive, but there is a risk of key variables being overlooked, leading to incorrect decisions.
Supply chain design methodologies can be broadly classified as: deterministic, stochastic or dynamic. Stochastic approaches employ probability density functions to model demand and inventory decisions. Dynamic supply chain design employs control theory to understand the effect of time delays and feedback paths on system behaviour. However, as both stochastic and dynamic approaches are normally applied after the physical network has been decided, then the potential of these methods is constrained.
Ratanachote and Disney (2008) have developed a modelling technique which incorporates dynamic/stochastic techniques to model the inventory and capacity variances and costs associated with alternative network designs. Dynamic/stochastic modelling can provide a more thorough understanding of network costs, but it can become complex. McCullen and Disney (2008) have indicated that product value density (e.g. £ per m3), a term used by Lovell et al. (2005), may be used as a proxy to guide the selection of appropriate modelling techniques. The paper explores the applicability of dynamic/stochastic modelling via two case studies considering outsourcing decisions for beds (low value density) and industrial products (high value density).
Recent seminars
How family law broke out of the chain gang
Lynne Passmore, Jo O'Sullivan, Alan Larkin and Linda Lamb
15 May, 2013
Conflict at Work and Individual Conflict Resolution
Sebastian Schulze-Marmeling, University of Manchester
17 April, 2013
Britain and Germany: Two competing models of capitalism?
Dr Ray Cunningham
13 February, 2013
Human Rights? Think Business
Marie-Bénédicte Dembour
13 February, 2013
Strategic Discourses of 'Competitive Advantage': Comparing Social Representation of Causation in Academia and Practice
Lew Perren
30 January, 2013
Helping 'Gen Y' students to fulfil their potential: The role of rapid feedback mechanisms
Peter McCullen
12 December, 2012
