Agent Based Modeling and Simulation Framework for Supply Chain Risk Management

This research develops a flexible agent-based modeling and simulation (ABMS) framework for supply chain risk management with significant enhancements to standard ABMS methods and supply chain risk modeling. Our framework starts with the use of software agents to gather and process input data for use in our simulation model. For our simulation model, we extend an existing mathematical framework for discrete event simulation (DES) to ABMS and then implement the concepts of variable resolution modeling from the DES domain to ABMS and provide further guidelines for aggregation and disaggregation of supply chain models. Existing supply chain risk management research focuses on consumable item supply chains. Since the Air Force supply chain contains many reparable items, we fill this gap with our risk metrics framework designed for reparable item supply chains, which have greater complexity than consumable item supply chains. We present new metrics, along with existing metrics, in a framework for reparable item supply chain risk management and discuss aggregation and disaggregation of metrics for use with our variable resolution modeling

Agribusiness supply chain risk management: A review of quantitative decision models

Supply chain risk management is a large and growing field of research. However, within this field, mathematical models for agricultural products have received relatively little attention. This is somewhat surprising as risk management is even more important for agricultural supply chains due to challenges associated with seasonality, supply spikes, long supply lead-times, and perishability. This paper carries out a thorough review of the relatively limited literature on quantitative risk management models for agricultural supply chains. Specifically, we identify robustness and resilience as two key techniques for managing risk. Since these terms are not used consistently in the literature, we propose clear definitions and metrics for these terms; we then use these definitions to classify the agricultural supply chain risk management literature. Implications are given for both practice and future research on agricultural supply chain risk management

An Agent-based Approach for Improving the Performance of Distributed Business Processes in Maritime Port Community

In the recent years, the concept of “port community” has been adopted by the maritime transport industry in order to achieve a higher degree of coordination and cooperation amongst organizations involved in the transfer of goods through the port area. The business processes of the port community supply chain form a complicated process which involves several process steps, multiple actors, and numerous information exchanges. One of the widely used applications of ICT in ports is the Port Community System (PCS) which is implemented in ports in order to reduce paperwork and to facilitate the information flow related to port operations and cargo clearance. However, existing PCSs are limited in functionalities that facilitate the management and coordination of material, financial, and information flows within the port community supply chain. This research programme addresses the use of agent technology to introduce business process management functionalities, which are vital for port communities, aiming to the enhancement of the performance of the port community supply chain. The investigation begins with an examination of the current state in view of the business perspective and the technical perspective. The business perspective focuses on understanding the nature of the port community, its main characteristics, and its problems. Accordingly, a number of requirements are identified as essential amendments to information systems in seaports. On the other hand, the technical perspective focuses on technologies that are convenient for solving problems in business process management within port communities. The research focuses on three technologies; the workflow technology, agent technology, and service orientation. An analysis of information systems across port communities enables an examination of the current PCSs with regard to their coordination and workflow management capabilities. The most important finding of this analysis is that the performance of the business processes, and in particular the performance of the port community supply chain, is not in the scope of the examined PCSs. Accordingly, the Agent-Based Middleware for Port Community Management (ABMPCM) is proposed as an approach for providing essential functionalities that would facilitate collaborative planning and business process management. As a core component of the ABMPCM, the Collaborative Planning Facility (CPF) is described in further details. A CPF prototype has been developed as an agent-based system for the domain of inland transport of containers to demonstrate its practical effectiveness. To evaluate the practical application of the CPF, a simulation environment is introduced in order to facilitate the evaluation process. The research started with the definition of a multi-agent simulation framework for port community supply chain. Then, a prototype has been implemented and employed for the evaluation of the CPF. The results of the simulation experiments demonstrate that our agent-based approach effectively enhances the performance of business process in the port community

Supply chains’ robustness: Challenges and opportunities

Nowadays robustness of supply chains, i.e. their ability to cope with external and internal disruptions and disturbances, gains more and more importance. The paper puts the topic into a broader scope, i.e. it also highlights the concept of robustness in other disciplines (especially in biology) and at the different levels of manufacturing. The main risks of supply chain operations together with some fundamental risk mitigation strategies are summarized. Measures of structural and operational robustness of supply chains are introduced, and the concept of a framework for evaluating supply chains robustness, complexity and efficiency is described in short. Challenges and opportunities related to the increase of robustness are outlined in the paper, with special emphasis on those which arise in the cyber-physical era

Disruption Management Optimization for Military Logistics

Part 3: Financial and Management Applications of AIInternational audienceTo ensure long-term competitiveness, companies try to maintain a high level of agility, flexibility and responsiveness. In many domains, hierarchical SCs are considered as dynamic systems that deal with many perturbations. In this paper, we handle a specific type of supply chain: a Crisis Management Supply Chain (CMSC). Supply during peacetime can be managed by proactive logistics plans and classic supply chain management techniques to guaranty the availability of required needs. However, in case of perturbations (time of war, natural disasters...) the need for support increases dramatically and logistics plans need to be adjusted rapidly. Subjective variables like risk, uncertainty and vulnerability will be used in conjunction with objective variables such as inventory levels, delivery times and financial loss to determine preferred courses of action

DEVELOPMENT OF A SUPPLIER SEGMENTATION METHOD FOR INCREASED RESILIENCE AND ROBUSTNESS: A STUDY USING AGENT BASED MODELING AND SIMULATION

Supply chain management is a complex process requiring the coordination of numerous decisions in the attempt to balance often-conflicting objectives such as quality, cost, and on-time delivery. To meet these and other objectives, a focal company must develop organized systems for establishing and managing its supplier relationships. A reliable, decision-support tool is needed for selecting the best procurement strategy for each supplier, given knowledge of the existing sourcing environment. Supplier segmentation is a well-established and resource-efficient tool used to identify procurement strategies for groups of suppliers with similar characteristics. However, the existing methods of segmentation generally select strategies that optimize performance during normal operating conditions, and do not explicitly consider the effects of the chosen strategy on the supply chain’s ability to respond to disruption. As a supply chain expands in complexity and scale, its exposure to sources of major disruption like natural disasters, labor strikes, and changing government regulations also increases. With increased exposure to disruption, it becomes necessary for supply chains to build in resilience and robustness in the attempt to guard against these types of events. This work argues that the potential impacts of disruption should be considered during the establishment of day-to-day procurement strategy, and not solely in the development of posterior action plans. In this work, a case study of a laser printer supply chain is used as a context for studying the effects of different supplier segmentation methods. The system is examined using agent-based modeling and simulation with the objective of measuring disruption impact, given a set of initial conditions. Through insights gained in examination of the results, this work seeks to derive a set of improved rules for segmentation procedure whereby the best strategy for resilience and robustness for any supplier can be identified given a set of the observable supplier characteristics

Managing disruptions in a refinery supply chain using agent-based technique

Master'sMASTER OF ENGINEERIN

Towards increasing robustness in global production networks by means of an integrated disruption management

Manufacturing companies operating in global production networks face rising complexities and increasing susceptibilities to disruptions. For coping with disruptions, companies are in need of a holistic, comprehensive disruption management, involving all network actors to find optimal measures. However, today’s disruption management approaches are characterized by intuitive, experienced-based reactions, limiting themselves to solely the production or the logistics perspective and hence not permitting an overarching reaction. Therefore, this paper presents an integrated approach to disruption management, combining the production and logistics perspectives. It incorporates DoE and metamodelling methods in a simulation model to enable efficient, robust decision-making in highly complex environments

A Study of the Impact of Information Blackouts on the Bullwhip Effect of a Supply Chain Using Discrete-Event Simulations

This study adds to the supply chain management literature by introducing and investigating information blackouts, sudden and short-duration failure of the information flow. This study aims to contribute to the literature in following ways: first, to define information blackouts in a supply chain. Second, to investigate the response of supply chains to information blackouts using discrete-event simulation. Prior research has focused more on analyzing systemic disruptions to supply chains from well-known sources. We expect the results of this study to be useful to supply chain managers in disaster prone areas