Faculty Publications
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Item Pricing Decisions in a Heterogeneous Dual-Channel Supply Chain Under Lead Time-Sensitive Customer Demand(Springer Nature, 2023) Raju, S.; Rofin, T.M.; Saraf, S.Internet facilities helped retailers to sell through online channels, and as a result, e-tailers rose into prominence and started competing with retailers. But, the e-commerce industry always confronted the issue of lead delivery time, hindering the growth of many e-tailers. We observed scant literature that studies the impact of delivery lead time on a dual-channel supply chain consisting of retailer and e-tailer. This research paper uses game theory to verify the impact of delivery lead time on pricing decisions of a heterogeneous dual-channel supply chain consisting of the manufacturer, retailer, and e-tailer. We used the Stackelberg game to study the manufacturer’s and downstream partners’ interaction: retailers and e-tailers. A horizontal Nash game was used to model the interaction between the downstream partners. We had analytically modeled how the lead delivery time significantly affects the channel partner’s optimal pricing, sales volume, and profitability. We also did sensitivity analysis to check the influence of the customers’ channel preference coefficient toward a particular channel and its cross-effects on the pricing policies when the customer is also lead time-sensitive. The study revealed that irrespective of large delivery time or next day delivery time, customers’ preference toward a particular channel didn’t affect the manufacturer’s profit, whereas it affected the profit of the retailer and e-tailer. On the other hand, the increase in lead time-sensitivity coefficient severely affected the profit of all the supply chain partners. By analyzing the pricing decisions, we found that both the customer preference and lead time-sensitivity coefficients affected the pricing decisions, but customers’ channel preference coefficient failed to mitigate the effect of lead delivery time. The inputs from this study can be used by practicing managers to develop decision support systems and as an input in multi-agent systems for converting lead time-sensitive supply chains to robust and resilient ones. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.Item Delivery lead time competition between e-tailers: A game-theoretic study(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2021) Raju, S.; Rofin, T.M.; Kumar, S.In the study, we analyse the impact of delivery time on the pricing, sales volume and profitability of a dual-channel supply chain consisting of manufacturer, retailer and e-tailer. We used the Stackelberg game to model the game between upstream and downstream channel partners and the horizontal Nash game to model the interaction between the e-tailers. Later we solved some numerical examples to develop the corollaries. It was found that the optimal price, sales volume and optimal profit significantly decreased when the delivery time was high and using game theory, we quantify the decrease. It was also observed that by regulating the customer preference towards the channel, this decrease can be controlled. © 2021 IEEE.Item 'Watch and Buy' and its impact on online retailers and manufacturer: A Stackelberg and Nash game analysis(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2023) Raju, S.; Rofin, T.M.; Kumar, S.P.; Islam, S.M.N.'Watch and Buy' or live stream (LS) selling is a novel selling method where an influencer will showcase the product through an LS channel or social media; the consumer can interact with the influencer and buy the product online. Our study, for the first time, analyses the pricing decisions of an LS channel when they competes with the traditional online retailer (OR). We also analysed the impact of LS on OR and the product manufacturer (PM). Later, we examined the effect of conversion rate and revenue sharing contract on the supply chain partners' profit. This study's findings can act as a starting point for the analytical studies in LS selling and can aid the management practitioners of LS, OR and PM to optimise their profit. © 2023 IEEE.Item Retailing and pricing decisions in a three-tier fabless semiconductor supply chain with stochastic consumption rate and channel power structures under sustainability measures(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2024) Raju, S.; Tm, R.; Kumar, S.P.; Taleizadeh, A.A.This study investigates the trade-off between sustainability measures and pricing strategies within a three-tier fabless semiconductor supply chain. We examine diverse configurations of channel power to identify the optimal power structure when integrating sustainability measures into the semiconductor foundry. The Stackelberg game, Vertical Nash game, and Mean-Variance analysis are employed to model the complex dynamics among channel partners. The findings indicate that for a specific threshold limit of manufacturing and sustainability costs, implementing sustainability measures not only increases the optimal price for foundry but also enhances the margin and sales volume for the fabless company, leading to improved profits for all chain partners. Examining channel power structures reveals the threshold limit of sustainability cost which maximise the profit for the channel leader and the channel follower. Additionally, lower price elasticity favours maximum profits under channel leadership, whereas higher price elasticity values result in higher optimal profits when both partners share comparable channel power. The study also identifies the significant influence of partners’ risk aversion on overall profitability and offers valuable insights for practicing managers in the fabless supply chain, providing guidance on optimising pricing strategies, navigating channel power dynamics, considering price elasticity, and managing risk aversion to enhance overall profitability. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Item Basic human values of Indian management professionals: a demographic profile(Inderscience Publishers, 2023) Joseph, A.; Raju, S.; Rofin, T.M.This study tries to check the degree of basic human values among management professionals in India with considerable cultural and linguistic differences and how it varies across the different demographic influences. We have checked the impact of demographic variables like gender, age, education, type of organisation, place of residence, and work experience on basic human values. Hypotheses testing were conducted using MANOVA. It was inferred that the perception regarding the degree of basic human values differs among different management professionals based on their age, gender, education, type of organisation, and place of residence. Surprisingly, the work experience of the person does not have a significant influence on basic human values. Consequently, we imply that the demographics of an individual carve their basic human values. The findings and inferences of the proposed study will be of great importance to policymakers and recruiting managers to fetch the right candidate. © © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.Item Analyzing data incompleteness for MRI Data for quality enhancement(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2024) Shanbhag, S.; Raju, S.; Gurupur, V.P.; Kamath, S.S.; Kandala, R.N.V.P.S.; Trader, A.E.; Lal, S.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful medical imaging technique widely used for diagnosing various conditions because it provides detailed images of internal structures within the body. However, like any imaging modality, MRI images can be susceptible to artifacts that may arise from various sources, including hardware imperfections, patient motion, and image acquisition techniques. Detecting and mitigating these artifacts are crucial steps in ensuring MRI scans' reliability and clinical utility. In this paper, we present algorithms specifically designed to address the challenges of undersampling and motion artifacts in MR images. Our approach involves leveraging advanced image processing techniques, including line detection algorithms for undersampling detection and blur parameter estimation for motion artifact analysis. By accurately identifying and quantifying these artifacts, our algorithms aim to improve MRI data's overall quality and completeness, ultimately enhancing diagnostic accuracy and patient care. © 2024 The Authors.Item Do wholesale pricing strategies matter during asymmetric disruptions? A game theoretic analysis(Emerald Publishing, 2024) Raju, S.; Tm, R.; S, P.K.; Jacob, J.Purpose: In most economies, there are rules from the market regulators or government to sell at an equal wholesale price (EWP). But when one upstream channel is facing a negative demand disruption and another positive, EWP can create extra pressure on the disadvantageous supply chain partner, which faces negative disruption. The purpose of this study is to analyse the impact of EWP and the scope of the discriminatory wholesale price (DWP) during disruptions. Design/methodology/approach: For the study, the authors used a dual-channel supply chain consisting of a manufacturer, online retailer (OR) and traditional brick-and-mortar (BM) retailer. Stackelberg game is used to model the interaction between the upstream and downstream channel partners, and the horizontal Nash game to analyse the interaction within downstream channel partners. For modelling asymmetric disruption, the authors took instances from the lock-down and post-lock-down periods of the COVID-19 pandemic, where consumers flow from BM retailer to OR store. Findings: By analysing the disruption period, the authors found that this asymmetric disruption is detrimental to the BM channel, favourable to OR and has no impact on the manufacturer. But with DWP, the authors found that the profit of the BM channel and manufacturer can be increased during disruption. Though the profit of the OR decreased, it was found to be higher than in the pre-disruption period. Under DWP, the consumer surplus increased during disruption, making it favourable for the customers also. Thus, DWP can aid in creating a win-win strategy for all the supply chain partners during asymmetric disruption. Later as an extension to the study, the authors analysed the impact of the consumer transfer factor and found that it plays a crucial role in the optimal decisions of the channel partner during DWP. Originality/value: Very scant literature analyses the intersection of DWP and disruptions. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study, for the first time uses DWP as a tool to help the disadvantageous supply chain partner during asymmetric disruptions. The study findings will assist the government, market regulators and manufacturers in revamping the wholesale pricing policies and strategies to help the disadvantageous supply chain partner during asymmetric disruption. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.Item Pricing decisions during panic buying and its effect on a dual-channel supply chain under different channel power structures(Palgrave Macmillan, 2024) Raju, S.; Rofin, T.M.; Kumar, S.P.Uncertain future and fears about the stock-outs will compel the customers to stock goods at home, resulting in panic buying. Even though it is a frequently observed consumer behaviour, there is scant literature in dual-channel supply chain (DCSC) which address this demand disruption. This study analytically models and analyses the impact of panic buying in a DCSC. For that we consider a two-echelon dual-channel supply chain comprising of a manufacturer, brick and mortar store (r-store), and online store (e-store). The interaction between the upstream and downstream channel members is modelled using a Stackelberg game. Further, we examined two models based on the channel power difference between the r-store and e-store, i.e., (i) r-store leader model and (ii) the e-store leader model. We also used Monte-Carlo simulation to deduce corollaries and managerial insights. We found that the Law of demand doesn’t hold during panic buying disruption, and even essential goods act like Veblen goods during the period. Contrary to the expectation, panic buying was also found to be beneficial for the e-store. Counter-intuitive results with respect to the channel power were also obtained in the sense that it is beneficial for the r-store to operate under the leadership of the e-store and vice versa. The study shows that the manufacturer is better off with panic buying. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2023.Item The opportunities and challenges of crisis cartel during demand disruptions: A game theoretic study(John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2024) Raju, S.; Rofin, T.M.; Kumar, S.P.Crisis cartel refers to the collaboration between organisations during unprecedented conditions to counter the effect of disruption during an economic crisis. Despite its prevalence, scholarly attention to this phenomenon remains scant. Employing a dual-channel framework involving manufacturers, online retailers (ORs) and traditional brick-and-mortar retailers (BMRs), the authors scrutinised the efficacy of crisis cartels in mitigating the impact of negative demand disruptions. Three distinct game theoretic frameworks were applied to model the interactive dynamics between the supply chain partners, namely, the horizontal Nash game, the Stackelberg game and the collusion game. It was observed that, during disruption under crisis cartels, the optimal price and profit of both the downstream channel partners increased, whereas the optimal order quantity decreased. Manufacturers and consumers are worse off in terms of profit and consumer surplus, respectively, during the crisis cartel engagement between BMR and OR. Nonetheless, a crisis cartel emerged as a potential solution to address negative demand disruptions. In evaluating post-disruption cartels, the study finds the necessity of regulating crisis cartels. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, market regulators and practitioners, suggesting the need for strategic regulatory adjustments to effectively manage disruptions through the prudent utilisation of crisis cartel as a proactive management tool. The study expands existing theory by providing novel insights into the strategic interactions and dynamics within collaborative responses to demand disruptions, thus offering a pioneering approach to crisis management research. © 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Item Pricing strategies for dual-channel supply chain members under pandemic demand disruptions(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025) Raju, S.; Rofin, T.M.; Kumar, S.P.The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented disruption and has checked the robustness of the global supply chains. This article, for the first time, addresses a Dual Channel Supply Chain (DCSC) competition between an upstream manufacturer and downstream traditional retail stores (r-store) and electronic stores (e-store) under pandemic-induced demand disruptions. We employed the Stackelberg game to model the multi-agent interaction among the upstream manufacturer and downstream r-store and e-store. The competitive subgame between r-store and e-store was modelled using a horizontal Nash game, assuming their comparable channel power. To assess the impact of demand disruption, the benchmark pre-pandemic setting was compared against panic buying, lock-down, and post-lock-down situations in alignment with the actual occurrence of events. The optimal pricing strategies and consequent profit functions of all the channel members were derived by conducting an equilibrium analysis. Further, a computational analysis using Monte-Carlo simulation was conducted to obtain managerial insights. The study found that r-store profited the most during the panic buying period, except for high-cost products. On the other hand, the e-store benefited significantly during the post-lock-down period. The lock-down period was unfavorable for both r-store and e-store. Manufacturers achieved maximum profits during panic buying, especially for essential goods. Both lock-down and post-lock-down periods were less favourable for the upstream channel partner. Findings from the study will aid the management practitioners in developing policies to make the DCSC robust during pandemic disruptions. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025.