Multiple sourcing in single- and multi-echelon inventory systems

This thesis deals with stochastic inventory models that focus on the following two aspects in particular: (i) the coordination of multiple supply sources and (ii) the optimization of the inventory allocation and sizing in multi-echelon systems. Initially, single-echelon inventory models with multiple sourcing and multi-echelon inventory models with single sourcing are analyzed separately. In the former case, the goal is the identification of effective inventory control policies. In the latter case, the focus lies on the development of a new multi-echelon approach, which combines the two major frameworks currently available in the literature. Subsequently, both aspects are integrated into a multi-echelon inventory model with multiple sourcing