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Dr. Marshall Fisher, 4R Systems' Co-Founder and Wharton
School Professor, Receives Two Top Honors
Dr. Fisher selected by Supply &
Demand Chain Executive Magazine as a 2004 Pro to Know; Management Science
journal chooses paper authored by Fisher as one of the
Ten Most Influential Papers Published in the Last 50 Years
WAYNE, PA—May 17, 2004—4R Systems, Inc., a leading provider of software tools, analytical models and information services that helps retailers and manufacturers significantly increase profits by optimizing their inventory and related supply chain decisions, recently celebrated two honors bestowed upon their Co-Founder and Chairman, Dr. Marshall Fisher.
Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine, which provides complete knowledge and information on end-to-end supply and demand chain solutions, recently announced the third-annual listing of top supply and demand chain professionals in its February/March 2004 issue. 4R's Marshall Fisher, UPS Professor of Operations and Information Management, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, was chosen as a "Pro to Know" in the Practitioner category.
Additionally, Management Science, a monthly scholarly journal published by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) to scientifically address the problems, interests and concerns of managers, announced their list of the Ten Most Influential Papers of the Last 50 Years. Dr. Fisher's paper entitled "The LaGrangian-Relaxation Method for Solving Integer Programming-Problems" ranked on this prestigious list.
"Individually, these honors speak volumes about Dr. Fisher's contributions, together, they richly illustrate his multi-dimensionality. Marshall has been an outstanding researcher, teacher and contributor to real-world practice throughout his career," said Jiri Nechleba, 4R President and CEO. "4R is blessed to have Marshall as a founder and his wisdom, ongoing commitment, contribution and guidance are a substantial asset to the company."
Supply & Demand Chain Executive
Supply & Demand Chain Executive issued a call for "Pro to Know" nominations in October of 2003. Beginning in December, the Supply & Demand Chain Executive Editorial Team and Advisory Board culled through the dozens of nominations to find the applicants that best fit the criteria. The Supply & Demand Chain Executive Practitioner Pros to Know is a listing of supply and demand chain management professionals that have excelled in the commitment to improving the use of supply chain technology and practices within a brick-and-mortar company. These individuals have a deep breadth of knowledge about the industry and are forward thinking in their approach to the evolving supply chain network.
Management Science
The year 2004 marks the 50th year of publication for Management Science, a publication of INFORMS. To commemorate the significant occasion, they took a look back in the journal's prestigious past to celebrate some of its most influential papers.
They first compiled a list of all papers published in Management Science that were cited 50 or more times as of October 30, 2003 according to the Web of Science. Next the editorial board narrowed the list to the 50 papers they felt represented the most significant research. Finally, by means of vote, they asked the INFORMS membership to select the ten most influential papers published by the publication during its first half century.
Dr. Marshall Fisher's paper, "The LaGrangian-Relaxation Method for Solving Integer Programming-Problems," was ranked among the top ten. This paper describes a general concept, LaGrangian Relaxation, which is a technique that has proven useful in solving a number of problems, including a clustering problem called the K-median problem. This clustering model is the backbone of 4R Systems Right Test product.
Marshall Fisher Biography
Dr. Marshall Fisher is UPS Professor of Operations and Information Management at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and Chairman/Co-Founder of 4R Systems, Inc. Dr. Fisher has built his career on pioneering research in logistics and supply chain coordination. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in recognition of his contributions to the use of mathematical analysis to improve supply chain performance in companies, served as president of the Institute of Management Science, and has received numerous awards for his thought leadership and teaching. Fisher directs the Consortium for Operational Excellence in Retailing (COER), which focuses on supply chain issues for retailers, and he has been a consultant to over 60 companies during his academic career, with a number of them ranking in the Fortune 500. Currently, Fisher is engaged in a multi-year study founded by the Sloan Foundation to investigate how retailers can exploit information technology and flexible manufacturing to improve the merchandising of fashion products.
About 4R Systems
4R Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of software tools, analytical models and information services that helps retailers and manufacturers significantly increase profits by optimizing their inventory and related supply chain decisions. Founded by supply chain experts from The Wharton School and Harvard Business School, 4R provides capabilities that profit-optimize the matching of supply with demand. From initial launch, through replenishment and to end-of-life and for products ranging from short-lived fashion items to long-term staples, 4R provides retailers with solutions that fit their business. Clients using 4R solutions have seen increases in profitability of 1-2% of sales as a result of higher sales levels on lowered inventory. Representative clients include Linens 'n Things, Crate and Barrel, American Pacific, Mothers Work and Rodale. For more information, visit www.4rsystems.com or call 1-866-4RSYSTEMS.
About Supply & Demand Chain Executive
Supply & Demand Chain Executive is a bi-monthly business magazine aimed at uniting the intelligence, news and tools necessary to steer the supply and demand chain management professional and business executive through the complicated, yet critical, world of supply and demand chain management. With hard-hitting analysis, viewpoints and unbiased case studies, Supply & Demand Chain Executive will uncover each aspect of the new supply and demand chain to keep readers on the leading edge, the frontline and the profit zone.
About Management Science
Management Science, a monthly publication of Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), is a scholarly journal published to scientifically address the problems, interests, and concerns of managers. The journal promotes the science of managing private and public sector enterprises through publication of theoretical, computational, and empirical research that draws on a wide range of management subdisciplines, including accounting, business strategy, decision analysis, finance, information systems, marketing, operations management, operations research, organizational behavior, and product/technology management.