Doug Blocher

Areas of Expertise

Customer Order Scheduling, Changeover Scheduling, Supply Chain Management, Lead Time/Cycle Time Reduction

Academic Degrees

• PhD, Purdue University, 1990
• MS, Purdue University, 1983
• BS, Purdue University, 1980

Professional Experience

• Kelley School of Business: Faculty 1991-present
• General Motors: Production Control and Supervision 1983-1987
• Bell Helicopter Textron: Test Engineer 1980-1981
• Union City Body Company: Drafting and Design 1975-1979

Awards, Honors & Certificates

• Kelley Teaching Excellence Recognition Award
• Kelley Research Excellence Award
• MBA Teaching Excellence Award
• Business Week Outstanding Faculty

Selected Publications

• Anderson, B., J.D. Blocher, K.M. Bretthauer, M.A. Venkataramanan (2013), "An Efficient Network-based Formulation for Sequence Dependent Setup Scheduling on Parallel Identical Machines", Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 57, pp.483-493.

Abstract This paper compares the efficacy of a newly developed network-based mixed-integer programming (MIP) formulation with three existing formulations for the sequence dependent setup scheduling problem with earliness/tardiness penalties. This research shows that the new model is more efficient in terms of computation time for larger multi-machine problems than the existing formulations of these problems. The mixed-integer nature of the formulation allows companies to solve this class of problems with any one of many commonly available integer programming software packages. The presented MIP formulation provides a unique and useful method of conceptualizing and modeling a practical, yet difficult, problem within industry.

• Blocher, J. D., S. P. Choi, and S. Gavirneni (2008), "Value of Sharing Production Yield Information in a Serial Supply Chain," Production and Operations Management, Vol. 17, No. 6, pp. 1-12.

Abstract New developments in corporate information technology such as enterprise resource planning systems have significantly increased the flow of information among members of supply chains. However, the benefits of sharing information can vary depending on the supply chain structure and its operational characteristics. Most of the existing research has studied the impact of sharing downstream information (e.g., a manufacturer sharing information with its suppliers). We evaluate the benefits of sharing upstream yield information (e.g., a supplier sharing information with the manufacturer) in a two-stage serial supply chain in which the supplier has multiple internal processes and is faced with uncertain output due to yield losses. We are interested in determining when the sharing of the supplier''s information is most beneficial to the manufacturer. After proposing an order-up-to type heuristic policy, we perform a detailed computational study and observe that this information is most beneficial when the supplier''s yield variance is high and when end-customer demand variance is low. We also find that the manufacturer''s backorder-to-holding cost ratio has little, if any, impact on the usefulness of information.

• Blocher, J. D. and D. Chhajed (2008), "Minimizing Customer Order Lead - Time in a Two - Stage Assembly Supply Chain," Annals of Operations Research, Vol. 161, pp. 25-52.

Abstract  Coordination across different process stages of the supply chain is becoming more common as the information needed for this coordination is easier to obtain and share. With the availability of this information, managers are beginning to recognize that there can be benefits to scheduling processes in a coordinated fashion. Thus, finding good schedules for the entire supply chain has added importance to today’s managers. Coordination of the material as it moves from one stage to the next should lead to improved customer order lead-time performance for the whole chain and thus better customer service overall. We look at a two-stage assembly supply chain with the objective of minimizing the average customer order lead-time. Minimizing lead-time is becoming increasingly important as customers demand quicker response. But beyond this better customer service objective, minimizing lead-time is consistent with keeping inventory costs low. We introduce a number of properties of optimal solutions, results for special problem cases, and a series of lower bounds. We also provide a number of intuitive heuristics for coordinated supply chain scheduling and test them to determine their effectiveness.

• Bendoly, E., D. Blocher, K. Bretthauer, S. Krishnan, and M. A. Venkataramanan (2005), "Online/In-Store Integration and Customer Retention," Journal of Service Research, Vol. 7, pp. 313-327.

Abstract Reducing the risks believed to be associated with product availability can be critical to increasing consumer retention rates. This study considers the role that perceptions of channel integration have on such beliefs and their impact on purchasing decisions. Surveys distributed to purchasers of specific goods both online and in-store provide data used in the analysis of these effects. The findings suggest that firms simultaneously managing both online and in-store channels should not only reassess the repercussions of availability failures but also consider efforts that encourage the transparency of channel integration.