Title：Warehousing systems and novel optimization problems for brick-and-mortar retail chains

实体零售连锁店的仓储系统及其新型优化问题

Speaker: Nils Boysen教授, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany

Time: 2025年9月26日 上午9:00

Place: 管理科研楼第四教室

Abstract: E-commerce warehouses have received plenty of scientific attention in the recent years. However, in 2019 the e-commerce share of total global retail sales was only 13.7%. Hence, warehousing systems of retail chains for servicing their brick-and-mortar sales outlets deserves more scientific attention. This talk identifies warehousing systems suitable for this line of business. For three suitable and widely applied systems, the basic order fulfilment processes are described, suitability is discussed, and novel optimization techniques to streamline these systems are presented.

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Bio: After some industry practice at IBM Global Services, Nils joined the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena (Germany) in 2008, where he became a full professor for operations management. His main research interests are in the fields of facility logistics, warehousing, transportation, and automobile production. To solve industry problems in these areas, Nils applies mathematical modelling and combinatorial optimization techniques, always based on a thorough analysis of computational complexity. He has published over 150 research papers in many of the top optimization and logistics journals, such as Management Science, INFORMS Journal on Computing, and Transportation Science. Among others he is a member of the editorial boards of Transportation Science and EJOR as well as department editor for OR Spectrum.