Post Graduate Programme in Management

2014-15
TERM: V
TITLE OF THE COURSE: TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS PLANNING
CREDITS: 04COURSE: Elective Course No. of Section, if elective course: 01
Instructor:
Email:
Tel. Number Faculty Block and Room No.
Prof. Utpal Bhattacharya utpalb@iimidr.ac.in 532 A-209

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Fierce competition in todays global markets, the introduction of products with short
life cycles and the heightened expectation of customers have forced manufacturing
enterprises to invest in and focus attention on their logistics systems. This together
with changes in communication and transportation technologies has motivated
continuous evaluation of the management of logistics along with its transportation
decisions. In this course various modules on transportation and logistics decisions have
been included. Various real life situations will be handled by different situations and
cases. Understanding of mathematical models and incorporating them to find solutions
for various sitauations are key features in this course.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
1.
2.
3.
4.

Understanding of the flow of transportation and logistical decisions.

Understanding the concepts of modeling Transportation and logistics problems
Description of how the transportation and logistics problems are addressed in
practice by various applications.
Use of computer solution to explain various real life business situations.

PEDAGOGY/TEACHING METHOD
Mix of lectures, case discussions and presentations

EVALUATION
Quizzes
Class Participation
Assignment(s)/Presentation
End Term Examination
Total

Weightage
20%
20%
20%
40%
100%

SCHEDULE OF SESSIONS
Module I

Transportation Strategies

Module Objective
Objective is to construct transportation strategies and integrate it with various other
decisions in order to look into transportation and logistics planning of a firm.
Understanding of both mathematical models and their solutions algorithms will be
covered in this course.
Sessions and Objective
Session 1: Transportation Model Introduction, Model Formulation
Objective: To understand the use of transportation in combined use of logistics
planning. Both definition of transportation model and its mathematical formulation will
be covered.
Readings:
1.
Lecture Notes.
2.
Chapter 5, Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
of India.
Session 2: Transportation Model- Applications
Objective: Application of transportation to explain practical use of transportation and
logistics planning in decision making.
Readings:
1.
Lecture Notes.
Chapter 5, Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
2.
of India.
Case: Carlton Pharmaceuticals
Session 3: Non-traditional Transportation Models: Production -inventory control
Problem
Objective: To understand production- inventory model and its use in decision making.
Readings:
1.
Lecture Notes.
2.
Chapter 5, Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
of India.
Sessions 4 and 5: Transportation Algorithms/ Methodologies
Objective: Describe algorithms and methodologies to solve various real life problems.
Readings:
1.
Lecture Notes.
2.
Chapter 5, Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
of India.

Session 6: Transshipment Model.

Objective: To describe transshipment model and use for solving various special type
decision making situations.
Readings:
Lecture Notes.
1.
Chapter 5, Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
2.
of India.
Case: Case: Depot Max
Session 7: Transshipment Model Applications
Objective: To describe some applications on transshipment model which is used to deal
with various special types of decision making situations.
Case: The Sandy Company

Module II

Network Models

Module Objective
Objective is to construct network models and integrate it with various other strategies
in order to look into transportation and logistics planning of a firm. Understanding of
both mathematical models and their solutions algorithms will be covered in this course
Sessions and Objective
Session 8: Introduction, Network Definitions, Minimal Spanning Tree Applications
Objective: To explain the network modeling and its use in logistics planning.
Readings:
Lecture Notes
1.
Chapter 6, Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
2.
of India.
Session 9: MST Algorithms
Objective: To explain minimal spanning tree algorithms to solve various real life
problems.
Readings:
Lecture Notes
1.
2.
Chapter 6 Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
of India.
Case: The Metropolitan Transit District

Session 10: Shortest Route Problem

Objective:To explain both the theoretical and practical importance of shortest path
problem and its use in transportation and logistics planning.
Readings:
Lecture Notes
1.
Chapter 6 Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
2.
of India.
Session 11: Linear Programming formulation of SRP.
Objective: Linear programming solution to solve various real life decision problems.
Readings:
Lecture Notes
1.
Chapter 6 Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
2.
of India.
Case: Fairway Van Lines
Session 12 and 13: Max Flow Model, Linear Programming Formulation of Max Flow
Model, Applications.
Objective: Understanding max flow problem and its use in decision making. Linear
programming formulation will be described.
Readings:
Lecture Notes
1.
Chapter 6 Operations Research and Introduction, Hamdy, A. Taha, Prentice Hall
2.
of India.
Cases:
United Chamical Company.
1.
GSA Industries.
2.

Module III

Vehicle Fleet Management

Module Objective
Understanding of various routing and scheduling decision and their solution strategies to
look into the operational issues in transportation and logistics planning of a firm.
Sessions and Objective
Session 14: Traveling Salesman Problem, Problem definition, Applications.
Objective: To understand routing problems and its use in logistics planning.
Readings:Lecture Notes

Session 15: Traveling Salesman Problem- Mathematical Formulation

Objective: To understand the mathematical formulation and subsequently its solution
from mathematical formulation.
Reading: Lecture Notes
Case: The Federal Emergency Management Agency
Session 16: TSP: Exact Approach
Objective: To understand the coplexilty of TSP and solution. Eastman algorithm will be
used to describe the solution.
Reading: Lecture Notes
Session 17: TSP Heuristic Approaches
Objective: To understand some heuristics approaches and their solution procedure to
deal with large size TSPs.
Reading: Lecture Notes
Sessions 18 and19: Vehicle Routing Problem, Application, Mathematical Model,
Savings Algorithm
Objective: To understand vehicle routing problem and its use, mathematical
formulation, solution procedures.
Readings:Lecture Notes
Case: Vehicle Routing in Large Organization: A Case Study
Session 20: Summary, Conclusion and Feedback
Objective: To summarize the topic covered in the entire course and their use in
logistics and transportation planning.

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