Efficient and sustainable closed-loop supply chain network design: A two-stage stochastic formulation with a hybrid solution methodology

In recent years, consumers and legislators have pushed companies to design their supply chain networks to consider environmental and social impacts as an important performance outcome. Due to the role of resource utilization as a key component of logistics network design, another primary goal of design is ensuring available scarce resources are used as efficiently as possible across all facilities. To address efficiency issues in a sustainable closed-loop supply chain network, a stochastic integrated multi-objective mixed integer nonlinear programming model is developed in this paper, in which sustainability outcomes as well as efficiency of facility resource utilization are considered in the design of a sustainable supply chain network. In doing so, efficiency is assessed using a bi-objective output-oriented data envelopment analysis model. A hybrid three-step solution methodology is presented that creates a linear form of the original mixed integer nonlinear programming problem using piecewise McCormick envelopes approach. In the second step, an aggregated single objective programming model is derived by exploiting the multi-choice goal programming. Finally, a Lagrangian relaxation algorithm is developed to effectively solve the latter stochastic single objective mixed integer linear programming problem. The application of the proposed approach is investigated with data drawn from a case study in the electronics industry. This case study illustrates how firms may balance sustainability and efficiency in the supply chain network design problem. Further, it demonstrates the integration of efficiency results in improving economic aspects of sustainability as well as social responsibility outcomes, but also highlights the trade-offs that exist between efficiency and environmental impacts.

Automated summary

This paper discusses how to balance sustainability and efficiency in supply chain network design, by introducing methods such as multi-objective programming, data envelopment analysis, and Lagrangian relaxation algorithm. The application of the methods is demonstrated through a case study, highlighting the integration of efficiency results in improving economic aspects of sustainability and social responsibility outcomes, as well as the trade-offs between efficiency and environmental impacts.