Abstract:
This study aims to identify and analyze an optimized & efficient supply chain network
solved with hub and spoke model using a crowdsourced approach. The main focus of
the resulting supply chain is to minimize the total transportation cost and analyze how
crowdsourcing affects the whole chain. Hub and spoke distribution paradigm are a form
of transport topology optimization in which traffic planners organize routes as a series
of "spokes" that connect outlying points to a central "hub". The supply chain network
includes a number of manufacturers, suppliers, distributer locations and demand points
which need to be located not just randomly but as a result of careful calculation to
minimize the overall cost and increase the supply chain surplus. The hub and spoke
model is an excellent approach to make the whole system more robust and agile by
receiving products from many different origins, consolidating the products, and sending
them directly to destinations. Crowdsourcing is the process of obtaining ideas, services
or information by soliciting feedback from a large group of people. Here in this report,
the effects of crowdsourcing on the supply chain is emphasized by using a linear
programming model in MATLAB. The result is evaluated and analyzed for further
improvement and practical use.
