In this study, we model the classical newsvendor ordering preferences under ambiguity. The extant literature on normative models in the newsvendor setting assumes decision-making under risk, where decision-maker has exact knowledge of the probabilities associated with the outcomes. In several business situations, the demand distribution is often incomplete or unknown. This results in decision-making under ambiguous situations. Decision theory recognizes the difference between exact probabilities and more realistic ambiguous probabilities. In his seminal paper, Scarf (1958) develops a max-min approach for the newsvendor with incomplete demand information. In the Scarf model, the newsvendor is assumed to be risk-neutral and ambiguity averse. In the recent experimental literature, it has been observed that the newsvendor behavior is not consistent with the Scarf model, and exhibits pull-to- center bias and other biases. This motivates our research to develop quantitative models under ambiguity to describe the observed biases in the literature.
Track: Operations Management
Published in: 9th Annual International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, Bangkok, Thailand
Publisher: IEOM Society International
Date of Conference: March 5
-7
, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5323-5948-4
ISSN/E-ISSN: 2169-8767