Supply ChainSupply Chain ManagementSupply Chain ActivitiesStrategicTacticalOperationalDevelopments in Supply Chain ManagementCreation EraIntegration EraGlobalization EraSpecialization Era -- Phase One -- Outsourced Manufacturing and DistributionSpecialization Era -- Phase Two -- Supply Chain Management as a ServiceSupply Chain Management 2.0 (SCM 2.0)Supply Chain Management ProblemsDistribution Network ConfigurationDistribution StrategyInformationInventory ManagementCash-FlowIntelligent AgentsClasses of Intelligent AgentsEmployment of Decision Agents in E-commerceRequired Decision Agent CharacteristicsData Flow options in Decision AgentsMulti-agent Supply Chain Management SystemsImplementing Decision AgentsAgent Based Model vs. Equation Based Model Approaches to Supply Chain ManagementConclusionReferencesEmployment of decision agents in eCommerceEstablishment of agent communities as per ‘automated’ supply-chain managementAbhishek BansalINFO 658 – Fall 2008Dr. John W. Sutherland- 2 -Table of ContentsSupply Chain............................................................................................................................................... 3Supply Chain Management.........................................................................................................................3Supply Chain Activities............................................................................................................................5Strategic.............................................................................................................................................. 5Tactical................................................................................................................................................5Operational......................................................................................................................................... 6Developments in Supply Chain Management............................................................................................6Creation Era............................................................................................................................................ 6Integration Era........................................................................................................................................6Globalization Era..................................................................................................................................... 7Specialization Era -- Phase One -- Outsourced Manufacturing and Distribution...................................7Specialization Era -- Phase Two -- Supply Chain Management as a Service..........................................7Supply Chain Management 2.0 (SCM 2.0)..............................................................................................8Supply Chain Management Problems........................................................................................................9Distribution Network Configuration......................................................................................................... 9Distribution Strategy................................................................................................................................9Information.............................................................................................................................................. 9Inventory Management......................................................................................................................... 10Cash-Flow.............................................................................................................................................. 10Intelligent Agents...................................................................................................................................... 10Classes of Intelligent Agents.................................................................................................................12Employment of Decision Agents in E-commerce......................................................................................14Required Decision Agent Characteristics..............................................................................................14Data Flow options in Decision Agents..................................................................................................15Multi-agent Supply Chain Management Systems................................................................................16Implementing Decision Agents................................................................................................................. 19Agent Based Model vs. Equation Based Model Approaches to Supply Chain Management...................20Conclusion................................................................................................................................................. 23References................................................................................................................................................. 24- 3 -Supply ChainA supply chain or logistics network is the system of organizations, people, technology, activities,information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer.Supply chain activities transform natural resources, raw materials and components into a finishedproduct that is delivered to the end customer. In sophisticated supply chain systems, usedproducts may re-enter the supply chain at any point where residual value is recyclable. Supplychains link value chains.A typical supply chain begins with ecological and biological regulation of natural resources,followed by the human extraction of raw material and includes several production links, forinstance; component construction, assembly and merging before moving onto several layers ofstorage facilities of ever decreasing size and ever more remote geographical locations, andfinally reaching the consumer.Many of the exchanges encountered in the supply chain will therefore be between differentcompanies who will seek to maximize their revenue within their sphere of interest, but may havelittle or no knowledge or interest in the remaining players in the supply chain. More recently, theloosely coupled, self-organizing network of businesses that cooperates to provide product andservice offerings has
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