产能有限的供应商主导的双渠道分销策略研究

2020-04-16 08:07多彦彦夏维力
管理工程学报 2020年2期
关键词:零售商供应商分配

多彦彦,夏维力

产能有限的供应商主导的双渠道分销策略研究

多彦彦,夏维力

(西北工业大学管理学院,陕西 西安 710129)

在供应商产能有限的背景下,研究供应商的最优分配策略和双渠道分销的问题。根据期望利润最大化建立供应商渠道分配模型,依据纳什均衡确定供应商的最优定价、最优产能和最优分销策略。结果表明,在双渠道策略的情况下,供应商应该优先满足销售企业的销售量。若供应链的销售量恰好得到满足,供应商应该按最优产能生产。供应商的渠道选择与供应商产能、供应链各节点的盈利能力和生产成本有关。

产能有限;分配策略;双渠道;纳什均衡

0 引言

在市场经济下,一个供应商为多个销售企业供货的现象普遍存在,然而,在供应商产能有限的情况下,供应链的供应可能会受到限制。许多供应链有两个特点:供应商产能有限,多个零售商向市场销售产品。有限的能力意味着供应商可能会按照某些策略分配产能以使自身利润最大化,在汽车、电脑、航空等行业中都存在产品分配的问题。在供应商产能有限的情况下,本文重点研究供应商的最优定价、最优产能和最优分销策略,为提高供应链利润提供理论借鉴。

本文参考的文献涉及三个方面:供应商渠道分销、供应链竞争、供应商有限产能。供应商面临着直销或者通过零售商间接销售的选择,他们的选择会产生三种可能的销售渠道结构,即零售商渠道、直销渠道、双渠道。Venkatesh等人针对专有组件供应商的最佳策略进行了研究,三种销售方式都具有独特的优化策略[1]。Alberto等人为供应链定价提出了一个优化模型[2]。Pun的研究表明,在企业的盈利能力比供应商更强的情况下,供应商采取双渠道的供应链结构比较好[3]。双渠道策略也可以使零售商处于均衡状态[4]。然而上述研究假定供应商的产能无限,在实际生活中,供应商的产能可能是有限的,这也许会降低双渠道策略的合理性,本文考虑供应商产能有限下的最优定价、最优产能和最优分销策略。

供应商和销售企业的竞争方式多种多样,例如价格、数量、服务水平和购物体验等[5]。具体来说,供应商通过直销的低价策略与销售企业竞争下游市场,进而增加自身利润[6]。销售企业则通过调整定货量的方式迫使供应商降低批发价格[7]。在上述研究中,企业是为需求竞争而不是为供应竞争,如果供应商产能有限,供应商和销售企业不仅会为需求竞争,也会为供应竞争,为了更好的探索供应商有限产能的影响,本文将将供应商和销售企业在下游市场上的竞争作为基于销售数量的竞争。

为了更好的了解供应链下游关于销售量的竞争,本文参考了Ha(供应链领域研究专家)等人的研究成果。Ha调查了两个竞争供应链中的信息共享问题,每个供应链由一个供应商和一个零售商组成,信息共享对供应链是有利的,信息共享能力是供应链竞争优势的来源[8][9];信息共享的发生取决于零售商是否在数量或价格上竞争,以及制造商是否能够有效降低成本[10]。Ha研究了两个竞争供应商通过一个零售商销售可替代产品的供应链结构,供应商可以和零售商签署信息共享契约,促使零售商分享需求信息[11]。Hu研究了一个供应商为多个零售商供货的供应链结构,供应商可以利用批发价格影响零售商的订货量[12];当两家零售商在完全信息下进行古诺竞争时,某些零售商可能会策略地夸大订单量,影响供应商决策[13]。当零售商的订单超过供应商的产能时,供应商必须采用某种分配机制来平衡供需,尤其在汽车行业,需要采用不同的策略来应对需求不确定性[14]。上述研究的重点是供应商如何在企业之间分配有限的产能,但供应商不直接向市场销售产品,不参与需求竞争,在本文的模型中,供应商参与销售企业的竞争,二者是竞争与合作的关系:即为需求和供应竞争,又是供应链合作伙伴。另外,双渠道策略也能够有效的帮助供应商获取需求信息,对供应商来说,可以在一定程度上缓解牛鞭效应。

供应商的有限产能限制了供应链满足市场需求的能力,也限制了销售企业的可用库存,供应商可以有效地利用有限产能并使自身利润最大化。Robert研究了产能有限的供应商的分配策略问题,并给出了最优解的必要条件[15]。Robert进一步研究了稀缺资源的分配问题,按照利润最大化和公平的分配原则,确定了稀缺资源的顺序分配问题[16]。Yu提出了预售的观点,结果表明,供应商的预售分配数量和区别定价策略随现有产能变化[17]。高品质的供应商可以通过在预售期比低品质的供应商分配更少的产能来区分自己[18]。这些研究的重点是时间限制了供应商的产能,本文研究供应商生产能力的有限对分销策略的影响。

基于上述情况,研究产能有限的供应商为下游企业供货的供应链结构,供应商可以只发挥供应商的作用,把企业当成向市场销售产品的中介,也可以直接向市场销售产品,更可以采用双渠道策略。在供应商产能有限的情况下,本文通过分析供应商的利润,探讨供应商的最优定价、最优产能和最优分配策略。

1 问题描述与模型假设

图1 供应商双渠道分销模式

Figure 1 Dual channel distribution model of the supplier

表1 模型参数及意义

2 产能有限的模型分析

2.1 双渠道销售策略分析

企业和供应商的利润如下

供应商采取双渠道销售的策略如表2所示。

表2 双渠道分配策略

图2 供应商最优产能策略

Figure 2 Supplier’s optimal capacity strategy

2.2 供应商渠道选择分析

供应商采取零售商渠道的利润为:

首先,通过比较区域II、区域III、区域IV的双渠道利润,区域Ⅲ的双渠道策略最优;其次,通过比较区域III的双渠道和直销渠道的利润,得到区域III的双渠道策略优于直销策略;最后,通过比较区域III的双渠道和零售商渠道的利润,得出结论如下:(证明过程略)

首先,比较区域III和区域V的双渠道利润,其次,通过比较双渠道和直销渠道、零售商渠道的利润,得出结论如下:(证明过程略)

图3 供应商最优渠道决策

Figure 3 Supplier’s optimal channel decision

3 扩展模型分析

现实问题中,一个供应商往往对应多个销售企业,本节对模型进行扩展,研究一个供应商对应多个销售企业的情况,企业与企业之间是竞争关系,企业与供应商之间既是竞争关系又是合作关系。

企业和供应商的利润如下

企业竞争下,供应商采取双渠道销售的策略如表3所示。

表3 双渠道分配策略

4 算例分析

由上述分析可知,供应商采用双渠道时,应该优先满足销售企业的销售量,供应商的渠道选择与供应链的盈利能力和供应商的产能以及生产成本有关。以一个供应商为一个销售企业供货的供应链结构为例,赋予模型参数数值,供应商渠道选择结果如下表4所示。

表4 算例分析

当供应商和销售企业的盈利能力相当时,供应商选择双渠道比较好,除非,供应商的产能极小,直销渠道优于双渠道。当销售企业的盈利能力远远大于供应商的盈利能力时,选择零售商渠道比较好。此算例分析进一步验证了本文结论的正确性。

5 结论

供应商的渠道选择是困扰供应商的重要问题,本文在有限产能的背景下来研究这一问题。重点探讨了供应商的最优产能和最优分配策略。得出的结论如下:

(1)供应商在采取双渠道策略时,应该优先满足销售企业的销售量。

(2)当供应商和销售企业的盈利能力相当时,供应商选择双渠道策略比较好,除非,供应商的产能极小,直销渠道优于双渠道;当销售企业的盈利能力远远大于供应商的盈利能力时,选择零售商渠道比较好。这个结论也对现实生活中的销售渠道作出了解释,例如小米手机“饥饿营销”的直销渠道策略;大多数手机如华为等电子产品“设立网上旗舰店和零售店”的双渠道策略;汽车等大型重产品的零售商渠道策略,汽车等大型重产品直销的盈利能力远远小于零售店销售的盈利能力。

根据实际情况,当消费者发现同样的产品具有不同的销售价格时,更倾向于直销的低价产品,这也被很多研究者证实。在信息不对称的情况下,销售企业总是处于不利地位。故本文可以在以下两个方面扩展研究,一是考虑供应链各方以及消费者偏好对结果的影响,例如把社会心理学中的公平偏好考虑在内,二是进一步研究零售商的竞争行为。

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Research on dual-channel distribution strategy with limited production capacity

DUO Yanyan, XIA Weili

(School of Management,Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, China)

In the first part of this paper, some background is provided regarding the problem, and the results of existing research are reviewed. In a market economy, suppliers make widespread contributions to multiple sales companies. However, supply may be limited if the supplier has limited capacity. When suppliers cannot meet the volume of orders they receive, they will allocate capacity strategically to maximize profits. This strategic behavior can increase the profitability of suppliers of such products as computers and automobiles, but may cause problems with product configuration in industries such as aviation. The research reviewed covers three aspects: supply channel distribution, supply chain competition, and limited supply capacity.

In the second part of this paper, the research problem is explained in detail. Suppliers can sell products directly to the market, indirectly through sales companies, or implement both approaches simultaneously. Three sales channel structures are possible, depending on the distribution method, namely: retail channels, direct sales channels, and dual-channel structure. The order completion process begins with the supplier determining the wholesale price and the number of products to be assigned to the sales enterprise. Next, the sales enterprise determines the order quantity by predicting market demand. Finally, both parties sell products to the market at the same time. In the case of limited supplier capacity, suppliers’ optimal pricing, optimal production capacity, and optimal distribution strategy are given emphasis, and theoretical references are provided for improving supply chain profit.

In the third part of this paper, a model was developed and the supplier's optimal strategy analyzed. To study the supply chain structure of a supplier with limited capacity who sells products to the market through a sales enterprise, the most relevant research method is game theory. The model establishment and analysis process is as follows: First, under the assumption that the market liquidation price is a linear function of sales volume, a literature search was conducted and logical reasoning was applied to establish the supplier dual channel distribution model, according to the principle of expected profit maximization. Second, the Nash equilibrium is used to find the best wholesale price, based on the optimal production capacity and supply quantity assigned by the supplier. Then, using comparative analysis and the multi-angle compound analysis method, the profit of each supply channel is compared to determine the optimal production capacity and distribution strategy of the supplier. Finally, the research model was extended to cover additional problem scenarios. One supplier often distributes to multiple sales companies, and further studies of this situation may help to draw a more comprehensive conclusion. The results show that: (1) in the case of a large supply capacity, it is more effective for suppliers to use retail channels. However, if the supplier only supplies one sales enterprise and the difference in net profit between the supplier and the enterprise is minimal, the dual channel method would rein superior; (2) In the case of moderate supply capacity, if the profitability of the supplier and that of the sales enterprise are relatively close, adopt a dual-channel strategy; otherwise, if the profitability of the sales enterprise is far greater than that of the given retailer, adopt a retail channel strategy. If the dual-channel method is applied, a greater volume of the supply should be allocated to the sales enterprise; (3) In the case of a small supply capacity, if the difference in profits between the supplier and sales enterprise is minimal, a direct sales channel should be used. As the supply capacity increases, a transition can be made to the dual-channel structure. However, if the supplier would be less profitable than the sales enterprise, a retail channel would be more appropriate; (4) The smaller the profit difference between suppliers and sales enterprises, the more suitable it is to adopt a dual-channel sales approach.

In summary, channel selection is an important problem that plagues suppliers. This paper studies this issue in the context of limited production capacity in the supply chain, focusing on the optimal pricing, optimal production capacity, and optimal allocation strategy of suppliers. When the profitability of suppliers and sales companies is comparable, it is more effective for suppliers to apply a dual-channel strategy, unless the supply capacity is rather scarce, in which case a direct sales channel is a better choice. Alternatively, when the sales enterprise’s net profit greatly exceeds that of the supplier, the best option is to use a retail channel. Furthermore, when adopting a dual-channel strategy, suppliers should allocate a greater volume of the supply to sales companies.

Limited capacity; Allocation strategy; Dual channel; Nash equilibrium

2017-7-20

2018-1-16

Funded Project: Supported by the Humanities and Social Science Foundation of the Ministry of Education (16YJA630068, 18YJA630043), the Aeronautical Science Foundation of China (2016ZG53071), the Natural Social Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (2018S28) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (G2017KY0101)

F224

A

1004-6062(2020)02-0139-006

10.13587/j.cnki.jieem.2020.02.015

2017-07-20

2018-01-16

教育部人文与社会科学基金资助项目(16YJA630068、18YJA630043);航空科学基金资助项目(2016ZG53071);陕西省社会科学基金资助项目(2018S28);中央高校基本科研业务费资助项目(G2017KY0101)

多彦彦(1992—),女,河南濮阳人;西北工业大学硕士研究生;主要研究方向:供应链管理。

中文编辑:杜 健;英文编辑:Boping Yan

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