Logistics networks: a sparse matrix application for solving the transshipment problem

Abstract

Effective and efficient supply chain management is an important concern for most companies primarily in the Retail Industry. The reduced cost and enhanced customer service levels stemming from a better inventory control approach presents opportunities for the implementation of new approaches like using Sparse Matrix for solving transshipment problems. A Sparse matrix with a significant number of zeros can better represent a transshipment model. This is represented by three parallel linear arrays viz., row_no., col_no., value. The present paper is an attempt to efficiently represent the lateral transshipment model in the form of three linear arrays of the Sparse Matrix. At the end of the paper, algorithms to read, display, and add sparse matrices using the linear array representations are also discussed.