Mengdefordeling

Mengdefordeling is a concept in operations research and logistics referring to the allocation of a fixed quantity of a resource across several demand streams that originate from mixed or heterogeneous distributions. The term combines the Dutch words for quantity and distribution. In practice, mengdefordeling seeks to determine how much of the resource to assign to each destination or segment to optimize a chosen objective, such as cost, service level, or profit, under uncertainty.

The approach typically relies on mathematical optimization. Models may be linear or integer programs, stochastic programming, or robust optimization. They incorporate forecast distributions for each demand stream, possible correlations, and constraints such as capacity or lead times. Solutions yield allocation rules or quantities that minimize expected total cost or maximize expected utility given the fixed total resource.

Applications span supply chain inventory, distribution planning, humanitarian logistics, and production scheduling. For example, a company with a fixed shipment capacity may use mengdefordeling to split shipments among regions with different demand variability, balancing anticipated shortages against holding costs. The method emphasizes managing risk by considering distributional uncertainty rather than relying on point forecasts alone.

Critics note that successful mengdefordeling depends on accurate input data, including demand distributions and dependency structure between streams. Model results can be sensitive to assumptions about correlations and tail behavior. Ongoing data collection and validation are essential to maintain robust allocations.