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Optimal Purchase and Transportation Cost Lot Sizing for a Single Item
Author(s) -
Russell Randolph M.,
Krajewski Lee J.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
decision sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.238
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1540-5915
pISSN - 0011-7315
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-5915.1991.tb00373.x
Subject(s) - economic order quantity , schedule , order (exchange) , marginal cost , point (geometry) , total cost , operations research , tariff , holding cost , fixed cost , economics , operations management , business , microeconomics , supply chain , mathematics , marketing , finance , geometry , management , international trade
ABSTRACT A review of the literature indicates that the traditional approach for evaluating quantity discount offerings for purchased items has not adequately considered the effect that transportation costs may have on the optimal order quantity; despite the general fact that purchased materials must bear transportation charges. The transportation cost structure for less‐than‐truckload (LTL) shipments reflects sizable reductions in freight rates when the shipment size exceeds one of the nominal rate breakpoints. However, the shipper must also be aware of the opportunity to reduce total freight costs by artificially inflating the actual shipping weight to the next rate breakpoint, in order that a lower marginal tariff is achieved for the entire shipment. Such over‐declared shipments result in an effective freight rate schedule that is characterized by constant fixed charge segments in addition to the nominal marginal rates. Over‐declared shipments are economical when the shipment volume is less than the rate breakpoint, but greater than a cost indifference point between the two adjacent marginal rates. This paper presents a simple analytical procedure for finding the order quantity that minimizes total purchase costs which reflect both transportation economies and quantity discounts. After first solving for the series of indifference points that apply to a particular freight rate schedule, a total purchase cost expression is presented that properly accounts for the actual transportation cost structure. The optimal purchase order quantity will be one of the four following possibilities: (1) the valid economic order quantity (EOQ), QC; (2) a purchase price breakpoint in excess of QC; (3) a transportation rate breakpoint in excess of QC; and (4) a modified EOQ which provides an over‐declared shipment in excess of QC. Finally, an algorithm which systematically explores these four possibilities is presented and illustrated with a numerical example.