Intellectual Contribution by Robert Saltzman

Contribution Title

Sequencing strategic sourcing initiatives at a large, public university

Publication

Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Management

Co-author

Michael Rodriguez, Susan Cholette

Year

2012

Description

This article describes the application of binary programming to optimally sequence strategic sourcing initiatives at a large, public university. Given a list of commodities that can be strategically sourced, the model selects which ones ought to undergo sourcing initiatives each year so as to maximize potential savings over a five-year horizon while meeting constraints on resource availability, technical difficulty, and commodity priority. The article is based on actual data and events at the University of California, during which time outreach was made to universities in Michigan, Texas, and Washington to compare common practices. Implementation of the model's recommendations would result in potential savings of $145 million over five years, a 3% improvement, and a more feasible program than that produced by current practices.

Complete Citation

Rodriguez, M., Saltzman, R. and Cholette, S., "Sequencing strategic sourcing initiatives at a large, public university," Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Management, 10(1), 1-12, Feb. 2012.

Website

http://www.csupom.org

See Faculty: Robert Saltzman