The Information Technology in Supply Chain Integration: Case Study of Reda Chemicals with Elemica

The main objective of this article is to highlight the role of information technology in the supply chain, specifically in the B2B business automation, which is helping supply chains to achieve global integration. The benefits of this approach to improve the performance of supply chains are explained in this article through a case study of Reda chemicals using Elemica supply chain integration solutions for B2B automation. A qualitative approach is used to evaluate nodes in the supply chain integration and the results of the case study as well. The findings of this research are mainly comprised by two facts: (1) the information technology is essential for supply chain integrations and (2) it was established by our case study that using B2B business automation has led to significant improvement of the supply chain. The main contribution of this research lies in developing best practices of supply chain integrations using B2B automation. Keywords information technology, supply chain integration, B2B business, collaboration, logistics

An Agent-based Simulation of a QoS-oriented Supply Chain

With adaptive customer-orientation the efficiency of supply chain management is improved substantially. By the introduction of service quality-based decision-making into supply chain management the quality of service (QoS) within supply chains is expected to improve autonomously and continuously up- and downstream. In the paper the main characteristics of quality of service oriented supply chain management are outlined. The quality of service criterion, introduced into the adaptive supply chain model, provides market regulators and managements with the needed information and feedback to their increasingly informed decisions. By an experiment comprising several typical scenarios on our agent-based simulation model it was possible to empirically verify the expected impact of quality of service-based reasoning on generic adaptive supply chains.</p

Automated Authentication and Authorisation of Consignors and their Consignments within Secure Supply Chains

In cross-border transport, in particular in air-transport, since 2010 there is the notion of a known consignor. This term is used in connection with an airfreight distribution company, which has introduced appropriate safety and security measures into its business process. Hence, its transport units are considered “safe” and can be handled with fewer overheads and more quickly. Due to the ever-increasing airfreight traffic, the notion of efficient security in airfreight is becoming increasingly pressing and requires information technical support to be able to handle shipments in time. In order to sustain security throughout entire supply chains all consignors should adhere to the same security standards – build a secure supply chain. This article presents methods and mechanisms for automated authentication and authorisation of known consignors and their transport units that enables swift identification and secure handover of shipments among known consignors and distribution centres. In their application they are not bound to air-transport and can be used to secure supply chains in general

Decentralized Agent-based Electronic Marketplace Supply Chain Ecosystem

Electronic marketplaces have become an essential part of the business to business e-commerce. Supply chain concept is fully taking advantage of using the network effects in electronic marketplaces due to augmented added value from each participant. However, highly desirable network effects lead to one company monopoly over the whole marketplace. To prevent this effect, authors are proposing and devising a decentralized agent-based electronic marketplace for supply chain ecosystem. The goal of our research is to improve overall supply chain service quality by allowing companies’ agents to evaluate the service quality of their partners through the history of their transactions. Consequently, since in their procurement activities more informed decisions are being made instantaneously, continuously and autonomously at each node of a supply chain, supply chain service quality is being improved along the whole supply chain

An Agent-based Simulation of a QoS-oriented Supply Chain

With adaptive customer-orientation the efficiency of supply chain management is improved substantially. By the introduction of service quality-based decision-making into supply chain management the quality of service (QoS) within supply chains is expected to improve autonomously and continuously up- and downstream. In the paper the main characteristics of quality of service oriented supply chain management are outlined. The quality of service criterion, introduced into the adaptive supply chain model, provides market regulators and managements with the needed information and feedback to their increasingly informed decisions. By an experiment comprising several typical scenarios on our agent-based simulation model it was possible to empirically verify the expected impact of quality of service-based reasoning on generic adaptive supply chains.</p

An Approach to E-marketplace Automation

E-marketplaces have become an essential part of e-commerce. In our research a decentralised agent-based e-marketplace platform was devised. The goal of our research is to improve overall supply chain service quality by allowing companies\u27 agents to evaluate the service quality of their partners through the history of their transactions. Consequently, since more informed decisions are taking place continuously and autonomously, supply chain service quality is being improved along the whole supply chain. In the article a service quality evaluation model of a supply chain is empirically evaluated

Supply Chain Service Quality Improvement by E-marketplace Automation

E-marketplaces have become an essential part of e-commerce. In our research, a decentralized agent-based e-marketplace platform was devised. Although there are significant agent-based supply chain models in the literature, measuring quality performance using agents is still a subject of investigation. In order to improve overall supply chain service quality by allowing companies' agents to evaluate the service quality of their partners through the history of their transactions, this article proposes a service quality agent model. The model is designed using MCDM tools to suit different approaches to supply chain management. Consequently, since more informed procurement decisions are taking place continuously and autonomously at each node of a supply chain, supply chain service quality is being improved along the whole supply chain. At the end, the service quality valuation model of the supply chain is empirically evaluated

An Experiment in Design and Analysis of Real-Time Applications

In the paper some experiences of joining two methodologies, which were originally independently developed in different institutions, with the goal to overcome the possible discrepancies due to the separate design of the hardware and the software part of an embedded real-time application are presented. Based on Multiprocessor PEARL, Specification PEARL has been developed in FERI, Maribor. Hardware and system architecture of an application can be described and gradually refined. Application software can be designed using LACATRE tool, developed at INSA, Lyon. Decisions about the application design taken in each tool have influence to the ones taken in the other, thus allowing for parallel design of both parts. Both designs are subsequently verified and eventually joined for feasibility estimation by co-simulation. The application program is coded using the ObjectPEARL language. The real-time system design cycle is closed by the execution time analysis and measurements upon which it is then considered about further program and/or hardware part reconfiguration. This feature is supported by the specific compiler, which includes the execution time analyser. The article reports on the work that was done in the framework of the PROTEUS project in co-operation of the teams from FERI Maribor, Slovenia, and INSA de Lyon, France