Efficient Humanitarian Logistics: Multi-Commodity Location–Inventory Model Incorporating Demand Probability and Consumption Coefficients
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsReview Report- Logistics
1. The abstract section and the conclusion section are poorly written.
2. The solution algorithm used in section 4 is unclear, many parts it is lengthy. The specific statements are welcome. To incorporate the large mathematical works please refer the section or equation numbers.
3. Solution algorithm and flow charts are different and they should be presented separately.
4. 3.2 Subsection name and Table 1 header name should be different.
5. 3.3 subsection name should be Development of Mathematical Model. Construction of Objective function requires more explanations. Authors are requested to take an extensive works on each part of the objective function along with constraints. In fact the equations G1, G2 and Equations (1)-(24) need more clarifications.
6. Graphical illustrations are not sufficient.
7. The literature study is insufficient. The following studies may help to complete the same. Because a good article requires a sound literature survey over methods/ algorithms etc. that are relevant to the present study.
a) The goat search algorithms, Artificial Intelligence Review, 2023
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageRequires grammar check throughout and flow of reading.
Author Response
The answer file is attached.
Thank you very much
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe abstract should be extended with 1-2 sentences on practical (business) implications of this research.
The literature review section should be extended with citing recent previous research on "inventory location problem" and "multi-level inventory location problem", "multi-objective optimization problem".
The authors declare "Any product's delivery time demand follows a normal distribution". This sentence needs explanation. In practice this assumption is not always met. What do you do with the model?
The text on page 9 is right to the formulas. It should be below them.
Discussion and conclusion section are united. They may be separated.
The discussion section may be extended with some comments on the identified problems during the literature review and the given solutions in this paper.
The model in the paper may be applied not only in humanitarian logistics, but also in other spheres of logistics. This moment should be marked, specifying the adaptability of the model in specific areas (spheres) of logistics.
Author Response
The answer file is attached.
Thank you very much
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe article presents Bi-objective programming and solving the problem of supply using software programs GAMS and MATLAB. The issue is topical and interesting from a logistical point of view. However, in general, the article is difficult to read, it is difficult to navigate in the text (partly due to its poor formal arrangement), and several essential things are missing:
- An ambiguously defined aim. Namely, in the abstract, the aim is defined as: “to investigate the inventory location, etc.", and in the conclusion it is stated that "the issue of location was addressed in the original article". Besides, from a sentence of five lines, the main goal is difficult to understand.
- Objectives for programming are stated differently in the abstract and the conclusion. In the abstract, the first objective is to reduce location costs, and in the conclusion as "the best order quantity determination".
- The introduction is unnecessarily extensive. Mainly, the secondary issue of humanitarian disasters and humanitarian aid is solved there. I recommend shortening it.
- The literature review completely lacks citations of used sources. It is an incomprehensible text. Overall, this chapter is quite extensive.
- Texts in figures and diagrams are not fully visible (Fig. 1,2, 5.)
- Equation (Q2) is not an equation.
- Page 10, line 379 (should be m2)
- The algorithm is needlessly detailed, especially the Coding section.
- Some abbreviations are not explained, e.g., Fig. 5 presents the NRGA algorithm, which is not mentioned anywhere in the text.
- P. 15: the formula is not numbered.
- P. 17: Heading 5.1 should not be numbered.
- P. 17 It is not clear what the results 11775 and 0.0008998 mean and in what units these quantities are.
- Fig. 7: a lot of empty space. Is there something missing?
- Tables 2, 3, and 4: The headers of tables 2-4 are confusing, it is not clear what is in which column. In the tables, the units of these quantities should also be indicated.
- In the discussion, there should be a discussion with the works of other authors. If the authors called the chapter discussion, then it needs to be added.
- Discussion p. 20, line. 646: The authors refer to some "original article" that has been expanded. However, there is no reference to this original article.
- In the conclusion, there are mentioned proposals that did not appear in the article as part of the solution, e.g., drones or “to include perishable inventory into the model”. In the conclusion, new information and things not addressed in the article should not appear. Possible suggestions can be only made in relation to future research.
- In the conclusion, the limits of the research are missing.
Author Response
The answer file is attached.
Thank you very much
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsAll required corrections have been made.
I recommend this paper for publication.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer
Thank you very much for your attention
