M&L 4382: Logistics Analytics - Autumn ’14
The Professor:
Keely Croxton
518 Fisher Hall
Phone: 292-6610
croxton@fisher.osu.edu
The Classes:
MWF 1:50-2:45 (SB 205) and 4:10-5:05 (SB 230).
Office Hours:
By appointment, or stop by (I will try to be in the office from 1:00-1:40 and from 2:50-4:00
on MWF).
The Course:
4382 can be described as a modeling course in logistics. We will cover a variety of logistics
issues and discuss modeling approaches for solving them. The course is organized into five
modules (Forecasting, Modeling, Inventory Management, Routing, and Network Design).
Each module will consist of a series of lectures on modeling and solution approaches to a
class of problems.
By the end of the course, you will:
 be familiar with several modeling problems commonly faced in logistics,
 understand the uses of, and the appropriateness of solving problems with, heuristics,
optimization and simulation,
 be able to solve many of these problems using efficient heuristics (i.e. methods for
finding good solutions to a problem) or optimization techniques (i.e. methods for finding
the best solution),
 understand how companies address these problems in the “real world.”
Course Packet: There is an electronic course packet that will be used towards the end of the course. Details
will be posted on Carmen. All other required readings are available through Carmen or
through Business Source Complete (see required reading list on page 4). Optional readings
that can supplement some of the lectures are available upon request.
The Grade:
The final grade will be determined by the weighted average of the following:
Exams (3)
Network Modeling Cases
Logistics Outside the Classroom
25% each
20%
5%
I will determine the exact cutoffs at the end of the semester. However, the following are approximately what I
expect the ranges to look like:
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
E
> 89
[86, 89]
[83, 85]
[79, 82]
[75, 78]
[69, 74]
[66, 68]
[64, 65]
[62, 63]
[60, 61]
< 60
Homework. There will be 7 homework assignments assigned during the quarter. You are highly encouraged
to do the homework as we cover the material, but you will NOT be handing them in to be graded. I will post
the solutions and you can check your own work.
Exams. All exams will be closed-book and closed-notes. You will be provided a formula sheet with the
required formulas on it for the first exam. The exams are not cumulative although some material will carryover. Should you be sick on an exam day, you must contact me more than 8 hours before the exam and
schedule a make-up exam that must be taken within 2 days. You will also need to provide a doctor’s note.
Network Design Case. We will be using the computer lab to work on the network design case using Logic
Tools, but it will also require work outside of class time. I will introduce the software on the first and second
lab days and you will have five additional lab days to work on the case. The software is Windows-based, so if
you use a Mac, you will need to buy Parallels. You are allowed to work on the case in teams of 2 and hand in
one write-up for the team. You must delete the software from your computer(s) at the end of the semester.
Failing to do so is a violation of IBM's licensing agreement and could expose you to civil lawsuits.
Logistics outside the classroom. I want to encourage you to learn about logistics outside of what you are
learning in the classroom. Therefore, 5 points of your grade are comprised of LOC submissions. The following
are two ways of getting LOC points and they can be done in any combination:
1. Logistics Webcasts. You can write a one page review of any of the webcasts on the Supply Chain
Television Channel (http://www.scdigest.com/supply_chain_videocasts.php). Each write-up is worth 1
point. You can also present your review to the class (a 3-5 minute interpretive review) and receive an
additional point. A particular webcast, however, can only be presented by one student.
2. TLA Meetings. The Transportation and Logistics Association (TLA) meets at 7:30 pm on Tuesdays. You
will receive 1 point each time you attend a meeting and then submit a one-page write-up on what you
learned. Write-ups are due within a week of the meeting.
TIPS about LOC write-ups. Use double-space and 1 inch margins (all header information should be in the
margins), with 'normal' fonts. I will give partial credit for write-ups that are not at least a full page. Writing
more than one page is fine. Write about what you learned from the webcast or meeting. Don’t tell me things
that I can find on the company website. Don’t tell me about announcements that were made at meetings, stick
to the details about the speaker’s topic. I am especially interested in reading your take on the subjects covered.
I will also give partial credit for write-ups that only discuss content from the beginning of the meeting/webcast,
so make sure you listen to the whole meeting/webcast.
The University and College expectation is that students spend two hours outside of class for every hour
spent in class. Since this course meets 3 hours per week, you should expect to spend 6 hours per week
outside of class on course-related work.
I take academic misconduct very seriously. Never represent someone else’s work as your own. If I
suspect any violation of the Code of Student Conduct, I will bring it to the attention of the Committee on
Academic Misconduct who will determine and impose an appropriate sanction. This can range from a
formal reprimand to dismissal. Trust me, I’m good at catching misconduct and cheating isn’t worth the
risk.
Course Schedule
W1
Forecasting
W2
W3
W4
W5
Modeling
W6
W7
Routing
Inv.
Mgmt.
W8
W9
W10
W11
Network Design
W12
W13
W14
W15
W16
(Note: This schedule is subject to change, as necessary)
Day
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
Date
Aug 27
Aug 29
Sep 1
Sep 3
Sep 5
Sep 8
Sep 10
Sep 12
Sep 15
Sep 17
Sep 19
Sep 22
Sep 24
Sep 26
Sep 29
Oct 1
Oct 3
Oct 6
Oct 8
Oct 10
Oct 13
Oct 15
Oct 17
Oct 20
Oct 22
Oct 24
Oct 27
Topic
Introduction and Overview
Introduction to Forecasting
HOLIDAY
Forecast Accuracy
Time Series Approaches I
Time Series Approaches II
Trend and seasonality I
Trend and seasonality II
Regression Techniques
Forecasting in Practice I
Forecasting in Practice II
No Class
Guest Lecture – Demand Management
Exam Review
EXAM I
Solution Methods I
Solution Methods II
Linear programming (LP)
LP using Excel
Integer programming (IP) I
Integer programming (IP) II
Introduction to simulation
Inventory Management I
Inventory Management II
Inventory Management III
EXAM II
Vehicle Routing I
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
Oct 29
Oct 31
Nov 3
Nov 5
Nov 7
Nov 10
Nov 12
Nov 14
Nov 17
Nov 19
Nov 21
Nov 24
Nov 26
Nov 28
Dec 1
Dec 3
Dec 5
Dec 8
Vehicle Routing II
Guest Lecture – Vehicle Routing
Facility Location I
Facility Location II
Introduction to Network Design
Guest Lecture - Network Design
Readings Discussion
EXAM III
LAB
LAB
LAB
LAB
HOLIDAY
HOLIDAY
LAB
LAB
LAB
LAB
Readings
“Due”
HW #1
HW #2
#1
#2, #3, #4
HW #3
HW #4
HW #5
HW #6
HW #7
#5,#6, #7
#8, #9
REPORT #1
REPORT #2
BUS M&L 4382 Course Readings
#1: The Demand Management Process, Croxton et. al., IJLM, Vol. 13, #2 (or the Demand Management
chapter of your 4384 text book).
#2: Heuristics: Rules of Thumb for Logistics Decision Making, Ballou, JBL, Vol. 10, #1.
#3: Simulation in Logistics: A Review of Present Practice and a Look to the Future, Bowersox & Closs,
JBL, Vol. 10, #1.
#4: Optimization Models for Logistics Decisions, Powers, JBL, Vol. 10, #1.
#5: Supply Chain Network Design: Applying Optimization and Analytics to the Global Supply Chain,
Watson et. al., Chapter 1 (in electronic course packet).
#6: Supply Chain Network Design: Applying Optimization and Analytics to the Global Supply Chain,
Watson et. al., Chapter 12 (in electronic course packet).
#7: Supply Chain Network Design: Applying Optimization and Analytics to the Global Supply Chain,
Watson et. al., Chapter 13 (in electronic course packet).
#8: Designing an Integrated Distribution System at DowBrands, Inc., Robinson, Gao & Muggenborg,
Interfaces, Vol. 23, #3.
#9: Strategic Service Network Design for DHL Hong Kong, Cheung, Leung & Wong, Interfaces,
Vol. 31, #4.
Note: JBL is the Journal of Business Logistics, IJLM is the International Journal of Logistics
Management.
All articles can be found in the library or on-line through Business Source Complete. To find them with
BSC, go to http://www.lib.ohio-state.edu/ and click on "Research Database List" on the right, go to "B"
and click on "Business Source Complete." From there you can conduct a search using any combination of
the author, the article title, or the journal title. Once you find the article, you should be able to click on
"PDF Full Text" to download the article in PDF format. For reading #1, you will have to click on the
Find It! Button.