An agent-based negotiation model to support partner selection in a virtual enterprise

Session - MP-Fd Supply Chain Management & Logistics 4: cie182hk-1Conference Theme: Soft Computing Techniques for Advanced Manufacturing and Service SystemsIn response to the global business competitive environment, it is common for several companies to participate in a virtual enterprise (VE) to cooperate and collaborate dynamically to complete a common business opportunity. This paper proposes an agent-based negotiation model to support the partner selection process in a VE. To begin with, the VE partner selection problem is abstracted as a buyer-seller relationship such that the VE initiator is the buyer and the VE partners are sellers or vice verse. In the multi-agent system (MAS) that supports the proposed negotiation model, autonomous agents are established to represent various parties and functions of the VE. For instance, a buyer agent represents the VE initiator and the potential partners are represented by seller agents. Thus, the VE partner evaluation and selection problem is the process of finding the partners that are able to provide the buyer with the right quality products and services at the right price and at the right time. Evaluation and selection of partners is a typical multiattribute decision making (MADM) problem involving various issues that can both be qualitative and quantitative.published_or_final_versionThe 40th International Conference on Computers & Industrial Engineering (CIE40), Awaji City, Japan, 25-28 July 2010. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Computers and Industrial Engineering, 2010, p. 1-

Principal-agent Theory Based Risk Allocation Model for Virtual Enterprise

In this paper, we consider a risk analysis model for Virtual Enterprise (VE) by exploring the state of the art of the principal-agent theory. In particular, we deal with the problem of allocating the cost of risk between two parties in a VE, namely, the owner and the partner(s). We first consider the case of a single partner of VE with symmetric information or asymmetric information and then the case of multiple partners. We also build a model for the optimal contract of the risk allocation based on the principal-agent theory and analyze it through specific example. At last we consider the case of multiple principal with potentially many partners based on common agency.published_or_final_versio

A scientometrics survey on project scheduling

In project management, a schedule is considered as a list a project's milestones, activities, and deliverables, normally with some start and finish time schedule, which are estimated by some information incorporated in the project schedule including resource allocation, budget, task duration, and linkages of dependencies and scheduled events. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the studies associated with project scheduling. The study uses Scopus database as a primary search engine and covers 3370 records over the period 1963-2019. The records are statistically analyzed and categorized in terms of different criteria. Based on the survey, "decision support systems" is the keyword which has carried the highest densities followed by heuristics methods. Among the most cited articles, papers published by researchers in Germany have received the highest citations (9084), followed by United States (7058) and Belgium with 4853 citations

Manufactura biológica e inteligente: atributos de la vida aplicados al desarrollo tecnológico

Los entornos altamente dinámicos caracterizados por el predominio del conocimiento como motor del desarrollo hacen que sea necesario abordar problemáticas específicas a través de enfoques multidisciplinarios. En este orden de ideas, mediante la imi- tación del comportamiento de los seres vivos se han generado técnicas y herramientas aplicadas en contextos como los tecnoló- gicos y productivos para incrementar la eficiencia y la capacidad de respuesta. Este artículo presenta los resultados de una in- vestigación efectuada mediante la aplicación de técnicas cienciométricas y de vigilancia tecnológica, con el fin de evidenciar el impacto que los conceptos y fundamentos de las ciencias de la vida han tenido sobre el desarrollo tecnológico y su gestión. De esta manera se encontró que dicho impacto se ha reflejado principalmente en la generación de conceptos y aplicaciones a temas como la manufactura inteligente, los sistemas biológicos de fabricación, la manufactura holónica y biónica, otorgando a- tributos de adaptación, autoaprendizaje, flexibilidad y capacidad de evolución a los procesos de fabricación y de manejo de in- formación, lo cual permite concluir que la gestión del factor tecnológico se ha fortalecido con base en campos como el bio- lógico, con repercusiones directas en los procesos productivos.Highly competitive settings, characterised by development being promoting by the predominance of knowledge, means that mul- tidisciplinary approaches must be adopted for dealing with specific problems. Indeed, techniques and tools have been created by imitating human beings’ behaviour and applying them to productive and technological contexts to increase efficiency and enable a quick response. This paper deals with this topic and presents the results of scientometric- and technological surveillance-based research for revealing life sciences’ impact on technological development and its management. It was found that such impact has been mainly reflected in producing concepts and applications for topics such as intelligent manufacturing, biological manu- facturing systems and holonic and bionic manufacturing, thereby providing manufacturing and information management with hu- man attributes such as adaptation, self-learning, flexibility and the ability to evolve. It may thus be concluded that technological factor management has been strengthened, based on fields such as biology, thereby leading to direct outcomes regarding pro- duction

Perspectivas e considerações sobre o aporte biológico ao desenvolvimento da gestão de tecnologia

A necessidade de que a gestão se especializasse e dirigisse algumas de suas funções à pesquisa e desenvolvimento, tem facilitado uma gerência mais pertinente da tecnologia e tem contribuído a que a própria gestão tecnológica se consolide como um campo diferenciado de conhecimento, sem ignorar que deve continuar com seu processo de evolução. Com esta investigação pretende-se contribuir para isso ao avaliar as contribuições dos elementos e conceitos biológicos a este campo da gestão, considerando seu alto grau de interação com outras disciplinas assim como a transcendência e relevância que têm tido tais contribuições para o progresso da gestão organizacional. Para tal fim empregaram-se técnicas cienciométricas em informação procedente de bases de dados de artigos e memoriais de eventos acadêmicos, encontrando-se que os avanços têm se apresentado principalmente em países desenvolvidos, sendo muito escassos no contexto latino-americano; da mesma forma, tais avanços estão dirigidos à gestão e sustentam o desenvolvimento atual da gestão do conhecimento. Adicionalmente, identificaram-se as perspectivas de desenvolvimento da relação entre biociências e gestão tecnológica, enfocadas em três aspectos: aprendizagem com base na contribuição da visão sistêmica, emprego de analogias e metáforas, e desenvolvimento de processos de inteligência. Finalmente, se propuseram as considerações sobre o papel de tal relação no contexto das economias emergentes latino-americanas.Le besoin de spécialisation et d'orientation de certaines des fonctions de la gestion vers la recherche et le développement a facilité une utilisation plus pertinente de la technologie et a contribué à la consolidation de la gestion technologique elle-même, en tant que champ différencié de connaissances, sans oublier que celle-ci doit poursuivre son processus d'évolution. Par cette recherche, on prétend contribuer à cette consolidation, dans une évaluation des apports réalisés par les éléments et concepts biologiques sur ce champ de gestion, considérant leur haut degré d'interaction avec d'autres disciplines ainsi que la transcendance et la valeur de ces apports pour le progrès de la gestion organisationnelle. À cet effet des techniques scientométriques en information ont été utilisées, procédant de bases de données d'articles et de mémoires d'événements académiques, déterminant que les progressions se sont présentées principalement dans les pays développées, et très peu dans le contexte latino-américain ; de même, ces progrès sont orientés vers la gestion de la production et supportent le développement actuel de la gestion technologique et la gestion de la connaissance. De plus, les perspectives de développement de la relation entre bio science et gestion technologique ont été identifiées sur trois aspects: apprentissage sur base de la contribution de la vision systémique, emploi d'analogies et métaphores, et développement de processus d'intelligence. Finalement des considérations ont été faites sur cette relation dans le contexte des économies émergentes latino-américaines.Management's need to specialise and orientate some of its functions towards research and development has facilitated more pertinent management of technology and has contributed towards technological management becoming consolidated as a differentiated field of knowledge (without denying that it must continue to evolve). This investigation is aimed at contributing towards evaluating the contribution of biological elements and concepts to this field of management, considering their high degree of interaction with other disciplines, as well as their significance and relevance for organisational management. Scienciometric techniques were thus used on information gleaned from databases from articles and memoirs from academic events, finding that advances have mainly been presented in developed countries, being very scarce in terms of the Latin-American context. Such advances have been orientated towards managing production and supporting current development of technological management and knowledge management. Perspectives concerning the development of the relationship between biosciences and technological management were identified, focusing on three aspects: learning based on the contribution of a systemic vision, using analogies and metaphors and developing intelligence processes. Some considerations are raised about the role of such relationship within the context of emerging Latin-American economies.La necesidad de que la gestión se especializara y orientara algunas de sus funciones hacia la investigación y el desarrollo ha facilitado un manejo más pertinente de la tecnología y ha contribuido a que la propia gestión tecnológica se consolide como un campo diferenciado de conocimiento, sin desconocer que debe continuar con su proceso de evolución. Con esta investigación se pretende contribuir a ello al evaluar los aportes de los elementos y conceptos biológicos a este campo de la gestión, considerando su alto grado de interacción con otras disciplinas, así como la trascendencia y relevancia que han tenido tales aportes para el progreso de la gestión organizacional. Para tal fin se emplearon técnicas cienciométricas en información procedente de bases de datos, de artículos y memorias de eventos académicos, encontrándose que los avances se han presentado principalmente en países desarrollados, siendo muy escasos en el contexto latinoamericano; así mismo, dichos avances están orientados a la gestión de la producción y soportan el desarrollo actual de la gestión tecnológica y la gestión del conocimiento. Adicionalmente, se identificaron las perspectivas de desarrollo de la relación entre biociencias y gestión tecnológica, enfocadas en tres aspectos: aprendizaje con base en la contribución de la visión sistémica, empleo de analogías y metáforas, y desarrollo de procesos de inteligencia. Finalmente, se plantearon las consideraciones sobre el papel de dicha relación en el contexto de las economías emergentes latinoamericanas

A joint modeling and exploratory framework for intra-firm collaboration within construction and mining equipment industry

PurposeIn this research, collaboration attributes related to the firm's intrinsic and extrinsic facets at pertinent levels (i.e. enterprise, strategic, operational, and tactical levels) for construction equipment OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) operating in India have been quantified and modeled.Design/methodology/approachFor modeling the intra-firm collaboration at respective organizational levels, relevant attributes have been populated employing literature review followed by subsequent validation from pertinent focus groups. The focus groups comprising professionals working in the construction and mining equipment industry in India aided us in estimating the extent of interdependencies and influences within/amongst collaboration attributes. The collaboration attributes and respective interdependencies/influences are modeled employing the concept of graph theory wherein the individual attributes are represented using vertices and influences/interdependencies are represented using edges. The collaboration indices resulting from the variable permanent matrix have been derived as well.FindingsScenario and subsequent sensitivity analysis are performed. This research discusses the significance and aspects related to various collaborative attributes and the interrelations amongst them. Further, the research also evolves quantitative measures of collaboration indices at enterprise, strategic, tactical and operational levels by employing a graph-theoretic approach (GTA). The authors have also extricated and discussed a number of meaningful implications from both the perspectives of interorganizational relationships (IORs) and the normative theory of organizations using a cross-case analysis of five firms having operations in India.Originality/valueThe research would aid organizations (particularly those belonging to the construction equipment sector) measure the efficacy of collaboration in respective value-chains at strategic, tactical and operational levels. From the theoretical perspective, the integration of the IORs and normative theory of organizations enables looking at the intra-firm collaboration problem from a multi-dimensional standpoint involving activities, performance measures, action initiation, communication, shades of top management, level of activity, etc

Tools for enterprises collaboration in virtual enterprises

Virtual Enterprise (VE) is an organizational collaboration concept which provides a competitive edge in the globalized business environment. The life cycle of a VE consists of four stages i.e. opportunity identification (Pre-Creation), partner selection (Creation), operation and dissolution. The success of VEs depends upon the efficient execution of their VE-lifecycles along with knowledge enhancement for the partner enterprises to facilitate the future formation of efficient VEs. This research aims to study the different issues which occur in the VE lifecycle and provides a platform for the formation of high performance enterprises and VEs. In the pre-creation stage, enterprises look for suitable partners to create their VE and to exploit a market opportunity. This phase requires explicit and implicit information extraction from enterprise data bases (ECOS-ontology) for the identification of suitable partners. A description logic (DL) based query system is developed to extract explicit and implicit information and to identify potential partners for the creation of the VE. In the creation phase, the identified partners are analysed using different risks paradigms and a cooperative game theoretic approach is used to develop a revenue sharing mechanism based on enterprises inputs and risk minimization for optimal partner selection. In the operation phases, interoperability remains a key issue for seamless transfer of knowledge information and data. DL-based ontology mapping is applied in this research to provide interoperability in the VE between enterprises with different domains of expertise. In the dissolution stage, knowledge acquired in the VE lifecycle needs to be disseminated among the enterprises to enhance their competitiveness. A DL-based ontology merging approach is provided to accommodate new knowledge with existing data bases with logical consistency. Finally, the proposed methodologies are validated using the case study. The results obtained in the case study illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of proposed methodologies in each stage of the VE life cycle

PRICING DECISIONS BY FREIGHT FORWARDERS

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Partner Selection and Job Shop Scheduling for Virtual Enterprises

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH