From supply chains to demand networks. Agents in retailing: the electrical bazaar

A paradigm shift is taking place in logistics. The focus is changing from operational effectiveness to adaptation. Supply Chains will develop into networks that will adapt to consumer demand in almost real time. Time to market, capacity of adaptation and enrichment of customer experience seem to be the key elements of this new paradigm. In this environment emerging technologies like RFID (Radio Frequency ID), Intelligent Products and the Internet, are triggering a reconsideration of methods, procedures and goals. We present a Multiagent System framework specialized in retail that addresses these changes with the use of rational agents and takes advantages of the new market opportunities. Like in an old bazaar, agents able to learn, cooperate, take advantage of gossip and distinguish between collaborators and competitors, have the ability to adapt, learn and react to a changing environment better than any other structure. Keywords: Supply Chains, Distributed Artificial Intelligence, Multiagent System.Postprint (published version

Analysis and Design of Intelligent Logistics System Based on Internet of Things

Based on Internet of things, .NET software development technology and GIS technology, this paper analyzes and designs a system of intelligent distribution information with software engineering life cycle theory as the guide to solve the problem of high complexity and low efficiency of manual operation in logistics and distribution, improve the level of intelligent operation and then improve the operating efficiency. It analyzes the business requirements of the system, then designs its physical architecture, software architecture and system structure, and constructs the terminal node distribution dynamic model of transmission route, realizing the main function modules of the system and verifying the correctness and effectiveness of the system results through systematic and comprehensive tests. DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.15065

Potential effects of RFID technology on internal RTIs' supply chain performance : a case study of "Swire Oilfield Services"

Confidential until 23 May 202

A Strategy for Third-Party Logistics Systems: A Case Analysis Using the Blue Ocean Strategy

One of today’s most frequently discussed topics in the business world is how to escape from the intense Red Ocean and how to create an uncontested Blue Ocean. However, because there are few practical guidelines available on this topic, we will introduce a case study of a third-party logistics (3PL) provider, CJ-Global Logistics Service (CJ-GLS), to show how it aspires to be a leader in the newly introduced 3PL industry in South Korea. CJ-GLS is a latecomer in the logistics industry, and its resources, such as the number of trucks and warehouses, are relatively small in comparison to those of established companies. But, it has achieved a distinct competitive advantage through innovative information technology (i.e., RFID— radio frequency identification), which has enabled it to create an uncontested market space, electronic logistics business. One remarkable fact about CJ-GLS is that its swift growth comes not from attracting competitors’ customers from the existing Red Ocean market but from creating a Blue Ocean market (3PL market), which previously existing incumbents ignored, and also from constructing a new business model founded on a RFID-based, ubiquitous-oriented 3PL system. Analyzed through a Four Actions Framework and characterized as Blue Ocean, this case study provides valuable information on how a company reinforces its competitive advantage from the Red Ocean while it transitions into a Blue Ocean by utilizing advanced information communication technologies

A Layered Software Architecture for the Management of a Manufacturing Company

In this paper we describe a layered software architecture in the management of a manufactur-ing company that intensively uses computer technology. Application tools, new and legacy, after the updating, operate in a context of an open web oriented architecture. The software architecture enables the integration and interoperability among all tools that support business processes. Manufacturing Executive System and Text Mining tools are excellent interfaces, the former both for internal production and management processes and the latter for external processes coming from the market. In this way, it is possible to implement, a computer integrated factory, flexible and agile, that immediately responds to customer requirements.ICT, Service Oriented Architecture, Web Services, Computer-Integrated Factory, Application Software

Dynamics in Logistics

This open access book highlights the interdisciplinary aspects of logistics research. Featuring empirical, methodological, and practice-oriented articles, it addresses the modelling, planning, optimization and control of processes. Chiefly focusing on supply chains, logistics networks, production systems, and systems and facilities for material flows, the respective contributions combine research on classical supply chain management, digitalized business processes, production engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and mathematical optimization. To celebrate 25 years of interdisciplinary and collaborative research conducted at the Bremen Research Cluster for Dynamics in Logistics (LogDynamics), in this book hand-picked experts currently or formerly affiliated with the Cluster provide retrospectives, present cutting-edge research, and outline future research directions

An agent approach to improving radio frequency identification enabled Returnable Transport Equipment

Returnable transport equipment (RTE) such as pallets form an integral part of the supply chain and poor management leads to costly losses. Companies often address this matter by outsourcing the management of RTE to logistics service providers (LSPs). LSPs are faced with the task to provide logistical expertise to reduce RTE related waste, whilst differentiating their own services to remain competitive. In the current challenging economic climate, the role of the LSP to deliver innovative ways to achieve competitive advantage has never been so important. It is reported that radio frequency identification (RFID) application to RTE enables LSPs such as DHL to gain competitive advantage and offer clients improvements such as loss reduction, process efficiency improvement and effective security. However, the increased visibility and functionality of RFID enabled RTE requires further investigation in regards to decision‐making. The distributed nature of the RTE network favours a decentralised decision‐making format. Agents are an effective way to represent objects from the bottom‐up, capturing the behaviour and enabling localised decision‐making. Therefore, an agent based system is proposed to represent the RTE network and utilise the visibility and data gathered from RFID tags. Two types of agents are developed in order to represent the trucks and RTE, which have bespoke rules and algorithms in order to facilitate negotiations. The aim is to create schedules, which integrate RTE pick‐ups as the trucks go back to the depot. The findings assert that: - agent based modelling provides an autonomous tool, which is effective in modelling RFID enabled RTE in a decentralised utilising the real‐time data facility. ‐ the RFID enabled RTE model developed enables autonomous agent interaction, which leads to a feasible schedule integrating both forward and reverse flows for each RTE batch. ‐ the RTE agent scheduling algorithm developed promotes the utilisation of RTE by including an automatic return flow for each batch of RTE, whilst considering the fleet costs andutilisation rates. ‐ the research conducted contributes an agent based platform, which LSPs can use in order to assess the most appropriate strategies to implement for RTE network improvement for each of their clients