Boxiao (Beryl) Chen - Research

Prof. Chen applies data-driven techniques from statistical machine learning and stochastic optimization to solve business related problems. Applications of her research include inventory control and supply chain management, dynamic pricing, assortment planning, retailing, energy and capacity expansion.

Working Papers

• Multi-store Inventory Control with Fairness Constraints

  Tang J, Chen B, Shi C, Zhou Y

• Tight Regret Bounds in Contextual Pricing with Semi-parametric Demand

  Wang Y, Chen B

  Major Revision at Management Science.

• Selling Personalized Substitutes and Co-purchases in Online Grocery Retail

  Ban GY, Benbitour MH, Chen B

• Dynamic Pricing with Infrequent Inventory Replenishments

  Chen B, Li M, Simchi-Levi D

  Minor Revision at Management Science.

• Sample Complexity of Policy Learning for Inventory Control with Censored Demand

  Fan X, Chen B, Zhou Z

• Self-adapting Robustness in Demand Learning

  Pakiman P, Chen B, Nadarajah S, Jasin S

• No-Regret Learning in Multi-Retailer Inventory Control

  Fan X, Chen B, Xiao W, Zhou Z

  Major Revision at Management Science.

• Multi-Product Pricing and Ordering with Nonparametric Demands

  Wang S, Wang Y, Chen B, Mabry J, Narayanamoorthy S, Zhou Z

Journal Publications

• Don’t Follow RL Blindly: Lower Sample Complexity of Learning Optimal Inventory Control Policies with Fixed Ordering Costs

  Fan X, Chen B, Olsen T, Qin H, Zhou Z

  Production and Operations Management, to appear.

• Tailored Base-Surge Policies in Dual-Sourcing Inventory Systems with Demand Learning [journal version]

  Chen B, Shi C

  Operations Research, to appear.

• Pricing and Positioning of Horizontally Differentiated Products with Incomplete Demand Information [journal version]

  den Boer A, Chen B, Wang Y

  Operations Research, to appear.

• Online Learning for Dual Index Policies in Dual Sourcing Systems [journal version]

  Tang J, Chen B, Shi C

  Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, published online.

• Learning to Order for Inventory Systems with Lost Sales and Uncertain Supplies [journal version]

  Chen B, Jiang J, Zhang J, Zhou Z

  Management Science, published online.

• Optimal Policies for Dynamic Pricing and Inventory Control with Nonparametric Censored Demands [journal version]

  Chen B, Wang Y, Zhou Y

  Management Science, published online.

• Dynamic Pricing and Inventory Control with Fixed Ordering Cost and Incomplete Demand Information [journal version]

  Chen B, Simchi-Levi D, Wang Y, Zhou Y

  Management Science, 68(8) 5684-5703, 2022.

• Nonparametric Learning Algorithms for Joint Pricing and Inventory Control with Lost-Sales and Censored Demand [journal version]

  Chen B, Chao X, Shi C

  Mathematics of Operations Research, 46(2) 726-756, 2021.

• Multimodal Dynamic Pricing [journal version]

  Wang Y, Chen B, Simchi-Levi D

  Management Science, 67(10) 5969-6627, 2021.

• Data-Driven Inventory Control with Shifting Demand [journal version]

  Chen B

  Production and Operations Management, 30(5) 1365-1385, 2021.

• Technical Note - Data Based Dynamic Pricing and Inventory Control with Censored Demand and Limited Price Changes [journal version]

  Chen B, Chao X, Wang Y

  Operations Research, 68(5) 1445-1456, 2020.

• Dynamic Inventory Control with Stockout Substitution and Demand Learning [journal version]

  Chen B, Chao X

  Management Science, 66(11) 5108-5127, 2020.

• Coordinating Pricing and Inventory Replenishment with Nonparametric Demand Learning [journal version]

  Chen B, Chao X, Ahn HS

  Operations Research, 67(4) 1035-1052, 2019.

  • Winner, CSAMSE Best Paper Competition, 2018.

  • Finalist, POMS College of Supply Chain Management Student Paper Competition, 2015.

  • Winner, Wilson Best Paper Prize, University of Michigan IOE, 2015.

• Parametric Demand Learning with Limited Price Explorations in a Backlog Stochastic Inventory System [journal version]

  Chen B, Chao X

  IISE Transactions, 51(6) 605-613, 2019.

  • Finalist, Murty Best Paper Prize, University of Michigan IOE, 2015.

• Optimal Investment Strategies for Light Duty Vehicle and Electricity Generation Sectors in a Carbon Constrained World

  Chen B, Klampfl E, Strumolo M, Fu Y, Chao X, Tamor M

  Annals of Operations Research, 255(1-2) 391-420, 2017.

• Potential Natural Gas Impact on Cost Efficient Capacity Planning for Automakers and Electricity Generators in a Carbon Constrained World

  Chen B, Fu Y, Strumolo M, Chao X, Tamor M

  SAE International Journal of Materials and Manufacturing, 8, no. 2015-01-0466, 2015.

Book Chapters

• Online Learning in Inventory and Pricing Optimization

  Chao X, Chen B, Zhang H

  Research Handbook on Inventory Management, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023. Edited by Song JS.

• Joint Pricing and Inventory Control with Demand Learning

  Chen B

  The Elements of Joint Learning and Optimization in Operations Management, Springer, 2022. Edited by Chen X, Jasin S, Shi C.

Other Publications

• Robust Demand Learning

  Chen B, Nadarajah S, Jasin S

  NIPS Workshop on Safety and Robustness in Decision Making, 2019.

• Pricing of Renewable Gasoline and Its Impact on GHG Emission Reduction Planning for Automakers and Electricity Generators

  Miao S, Fu Y, Strumolo M, Chen B, Chao X, Klampfl E, Tamor M

  SAE Technical Paper, No. 2016-01-0295, 2016.

• Impact of Gasoline and Natural Gas Prices on Capacity Planning for Automakers and Electricity Generators under GHG Emission Constraints

  Chen B, Chao X, Fu Y, Strumolo M, Tamor M

  Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, 2015.

• Investment Strategy and Capacity Planning for Automakers and Electricity Generators in a Carbon Constrained World

  Chen B, Klampfl E, Strumolo M, Tamor M, Liu Y

  Ford Technical Report, 2013.