In today’s unpredictable world, making sure the supply chain is resilient has become a key priority for companies, especially in critical areas like semiconductors. This thesis presents a simulation-based, multi-objective optimization model that’s designed to help managers make smarter decisions when facing risks of disruption. It looks at three main aspects all at once: overall operational costs, service levels, and fixed capital investments. This gives a well-rounded view of trade-offs that many traditional models tend to overlook. The model was tested by comparing two leading European semiconductor companies, STMicroelectronics and Infineon Technologies. Both have similar manufacturing structures but different ways of handling resilience. Using real data across three different risk scenarios, the analysis shows that the best strategies are those that balance operations carefully rather than pushing any one aspect to the limit. STMicroelectronics takes a flexible, proactive approach, achieving strong results with fewer investments, while Infineon prefers to build larger buffers, relying on more conservative financial strategies. Sensitivity analysis emphasizes the importance of adapting strategies to specific contexts. Overall, this work adds to the academic conversation by offering a broad, adaptable way to think about efficiency, resilience, and sustainability together. Future research could explore including ESG factors, modelling disruptions that change over time, and integrating real-time digital tools. Given recent shifts in geopolitics and trade, this model can are a strategic guide for redesigning global supply chains, not just to survive changes but to actively shape them.
Nel mondo imprevedibile di oggi, garantire la resilienza della supply chain è diventata una priorità fondamentale per le aziende, soprattutto in settori critici come quello dei semiconduttori. Questa tesi presenta un modello di ottimizzazione multi-obiettivo basato su simulazione, progettato per supportare i manager nel prendere decisioni più intelligenti di fronte ai rischi di interruzione. Il modello considera simultaneamente tre aspetti principali: i costi operativi complessivi, i livelli di servizio e gli investimenti in capitale fisso. Questo approccio consente una visione completa dei compromessi, spesso trascurati dai modelli tradizionali. Il modello è stato testato attraverso un confronto tra due aziende europee leader nel settore dei semiconduttori: STMicroelectronics e Infineon Technologies. Entrambe presentano strutture produttive simili, ma adottano strategie differenti per gestire la resilienza. Utilizzando dati reali in tre scenari di rischio diversi, l’analisi dimostra che le strategie più efficaci sono quelle che bilanciano attentamente le leve operative, piuttosto che spingere eccessivamente su un singolo aspetto. STMicroelectronics adotta un approccio flessibile e proattivo, ottenendo buoni risultati con investimenti contenuti, mentre Infineon preferisce costruire ampi margini di sicurezza, affidandosi a strategie finanziarie più conservative. Le analisi di sensibilità sottolineano l’importanza di adattare le strategie al contesto specifico. Nel complesso, questo lavoro contribuisce al dibattito accademico offrendo una prospettiva ampia e adattabile, che integra efficienza, resilienza e sostenibilità. Le future ricerche potrebbero approfondire l’inclusione di fattori ESG, la modellazione dinamica delle interruzioni e l’integrazione di strumenti digitali in tempo reale. Considerati i recenti cambiamenti geopolitici e commerciali, questo modello può rappresentare una guida strategica per riprogettare le supply chain globali, non solo per sopravvivere al cambiamento, ma per contribuire attivamente a plasmarlo.
Impact of supply chain disruptions on service levels in the semiconductor industry
Castelli, Martina
2024/2025
Abstract
In today’s unpredictable world, making sure the supply chain is resilient has become a key priority for companies, especially in critical areas like semiconductors. This thesis presents a simulation-based, multi-objective optimization model that’s designed to help managers make smarter decisions when facing risks of disruption. It looks at three main aspects all at once: overall operational costs, service levels, and fixed capital investments. This gives a well-rounded view of trade-offs that many traditional models tend to overlook. The model was tested by comparing two leading European semiconductor companies, STMicroelectronics and Infineon Technologies. Both have similar manufacturing structures but different ways of handling resilience. Using real data across three different risk scenarios, the analysis shows that the best strategies are those that balance operations carefully rather than pushing any one aspect to the limit. STMicroelectronics takes a flexible, proactive approach, achieving strong results with fewer investments, while Infineon prefers to build larger buffers, relying on more conservative financial strategies. Sensitivity analysis emphasizes the importance of adapting strategies to specific contexts. Overall, this work adds to the academic conversation by offering a broad, adaptable way to think about efficiency, resilience, and sustainability together. Future research could explore including ESG factors, modelling disruptions that change over time, and integrating real-time digital tools. Given recent shifts in geopolitics and trade, this model can are a strategic guide for redesigning global supply chains, not just to survive changes but to actively shape them.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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2025_07_Castelli_Tesi.pdf
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Descrizione: Dissertation
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3.42 MB
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2025_07_Castelli_Executive Summary.pdf
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Descrizione: Executive Summary
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1.3 MB
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/239795