Abstract
There are extensive studies in the literature about the reorder point/order quantity policies for inventory management, also known as (r,Q) policies. Over time different algorithms have been proposed to calculate the optimal parameters given the demand characteristics and a fixed cost structure, as well as several heuristics and meta-heuristics that calculate approximations with varying accuracy. This work proposes a new meta-heuristic that evolves closed-form expressions for both policy parameters simultaneously - Cooperative Coevolutionary Genetic Programming. The implementation used for the experimental work is verified with published results from the optimal algorithm, and a well-known hybrid heuristic. The evolved expressions are compared to those algorithms, and to the expressions of previous Genetic Programming approaches available in the literature. The results outperform the previous closed-form expressions and demonstrate competitiveness against numerical methods, reaching an optimality gap of less than (Formula presented.), while being two orders of magnitude faster. Moreover, the evolved expressions are compact, have good generalisation capabilities, and present an interesting structure resembling previous heuristics. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Abstract
Procurement plays an essential role in the supply of materials for the production of goods or products. The success of procurement management to fulfill demand with high service levels and on-time delivery relies on the suppliers' performance. Suppliers should be appropriately selected to source materials with the right quality, in the right quantity, at the right time, and for the right price. The scope of this problem, as well as other aspects such as the sourcing strategy, will depend on the type of items. Critical items, which represent high-profit impacts and high supply risks, should be approached comprehensively by considering all the main activities of the procurement process. This study focuses on a supplier selection problem integrated with inventory management under a multi-sourcing strategy, by taking into account stochastic demand and supply disruptions. This problem is approached by a simulation-optimization method, composed of discrete-event simulation and a genetic algorithm (GA). Finally, a numerical example is provided to illustrate the solution procedure.

Abstract
This work addresses the well-known capacitated lot sizing problem (CLSP) which is proven to be an NP-hard optimization problem. Simple period-by-period heuristics are popular solution approaches due to the extremely low computational effort and their suitability for rolling planning horizons. The aim of this work is to apply genetic programming (GP) to automatically generate specialized heuristics specific to the instance class. Experiments show that we are able to obtain better solutions when using GP evolved lot sizing rules compared to state-of-the-art constructive heuristics. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd

Abstract
Allocation of jobs to machines and subsequent sequencing each machine is known as job scheduling problem. Classically, both operations are done in a centralized and static/offline structure, considering some assumptions about the jobs and machining environment. Today, with the advent of Industry 4.0, the need to incorporate real-time data in the scheduling decision process is clear and facilitated. Recently, several studies have been conducted on the collection and application of distributed data in real-time of operations, e.g., job scheduling and control. In practice, pure distribution and decentralization is not yet fully realizable because of e.g., transformation complexity and classical resistance to change. This paper studies a combination of decentralized sequencing and central optimum allocation in a lithography job-shop problem. It compares the level of applicability of two decentralized algorithms against the central scheduling. The results show better relative performance of sequencing in stochastic cases. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2017.

Abstract
The pharmaceutical industry operates in a very competitive and regulated market The increased pressure of pharmacies to order fewer products and to receive them more frequently is overcharging the pharmaceutical's distribution network Furthermore, the tight margins and the continuous growth of generic drugs consumption are pressing wholesalers to optimize their supply chains. In order to survive, wholesalers are rethinking their strategies to increase competitiveness. This paper proposes an optimization-simulation approach to address the wholesalers network redesign problem, trading off the operational costs and customer service level. Firstly, at a strategic-tactical level, the supply chain network redesign decisions are optimized via a mixed integer programming model. Here, the number, location, function and capacity of the warehouses, the allocation of customers to the warehouses and the capacity and function of the distribution channels are defined. Secondly, at an operation level, the solution found is evaluated by means of a discrete event simulation model to assess the impact of the redesign in the wholesaler's daily activities. Computational results on a pharmaceutical wholesaler case-study are discussed and the benefits of this solution approach exposed.