Agent-Based Modeling of Supply Chains in Critical Situations (original) (raw)
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Building multi-agent models applied to supply chain management *
Control and cybernetics
In this paper, a model of a multi-agent system for modelling and optimising supply chains is presented. The most pop-ular methodologies of developing multi-agent systems and selected applications of the agent approach to modelling and optimisation of supply chains are described in brief. A pilot realisation of such a system is also presented, together with a selection of the subsequent experimental results obtained.
A Multi-Agent Framework for Modeling Supply Chain Dynamics
2018
Globalization of economy and increase in customer expectations in terms of cost and services have put a premium on effective supply chain re-engineering. As a result, decision support systems that can facilitate these efforts are in great demand. In this paper, we identify essential elements that are required for modeling supply chains and embed them in a multi-agent framework. Our framework uses simulation analysis and provides a platform for rapidly developing customized decision support tools for different supply chain problems with limited additional effort. A subset of concepts from this framework is being utilized by IBM for making supply chain re-engineering decisions.
An agent-based Decision Support System for resources' scheduling in Emergency Supply Chains
Control Engineering Practice, 2017
We propose a multi-agent-based architecture for the management of Emergency Supply Chains (ESCs), in which each zone is controlled by an agent. A Decision Support System (DSS) states and solves, in a distributed way, the scheduling problem for the delivery of resources from the ESC supplying zones to the ESC crisis-affected areas. Thanks to the agents' cooperation, the DSS provides a scheduling plan that guarantees an effective response to emergencies. The approach is applied to two real cases: the Mali and the Japan crisis. Simulations are based on real data that have been validated by a team of logisticians from Airbus Defense and Space. x Use of first person ("I/we", etc.) strictly eliminated 2. REFEREES' SPECIFIC REQUESTS Not applicable (first submission)
Agent-based supply chain management—1: framework
Computers & Chemical Engineering, 2002
In the face of highly competitive markets and constant pressure to reduce lead times, enterprises today consider supply chain management to be the key area where improvements can significantly impact the bottom line. More enterprises now consider the entire supply chain structure while taking business decisions. They try to identify and manage all critical relationships both upstream and downstream in their supply chains. Some impediments to this are that the necessary information usually resides across a multitude of resources, is ever changing, and is present in multiple formats. Most supply chain decision support systems (DSSs) are specific to an enterprise and its supply chain, and cannot be easily modified to assist other similar enterprises and industries. In this two-part paper, we propose a unified framework for modeling, monitoring and management of supply chains. The first part of the paper describes the framework while the second part illustrates its application to a refinery supply chain. The framework integrates the various elements of the supply chain such as enterprises, their production processes, the associated business data and knowledge and represents them in a unified, intelligent and object-oriented fashion. Supply chain elements are classified as entities, flows and relationships. Software agents are used to emulate the entities i.e. various enterprises and their internal departments. Flows */ material and information */are modeled as objects. The framework helps to analyze the business policies with respect to different situations arising in the supply chain. We illustrate the framework by means of two case studies. A DSS for petrochemical cluster management is described together with a prototype DSS for crude procurement in a refinery. #
2013
Abstract: Excellence in Supply Chain Management depends on timely and effective translation of market demand into material and products control decisions across Supply Chain. As has been observed many times, this task may be complicated by several technical and business related constraints. Effective decision making processes are essential to execute Supply Chain in such a way that products will be made at lowest possible cost and delivered on time. In most cases, software support has to be used. Supply Chain related decisions are usually poorly structured and therefore only reasonable way to support them is to use simulation tools. The main aim of the paper is to show how Supply Chain Management process can be supported with Agent Oriented Simulation Platform. The case study presented describes in detail the decision situation that is analyzed from scratch, by simulating different scenarios for suggested problem solutions. Finally the paper shows how the analysis of simulation resu...
An Agent-Based Supply Chain Management Model
2001
This paper proposes agent-based formulation of a Supply Chain Management (SCM) system for manufacturing firms. We model each firm as an intelligent agent, which communicates each other through the blackboard architecture in distributed artificial intelligence. To overcome the issues of conventional SCM systems, we employ the concept of information entropy, which represents the complexity of the purchase, sales, and inventory activities of each firm. Based on the idea, we implement an agent-based simulator to learn `good' decisions via genetic programming in a logic programming environment. From intensive experiments, our simulator has shown good performance against the dynamic environmental changes.
A multi-agent based framework for supply chain risk management
Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 2010
The high level of complexity of supply chains and the inherent risks that exist in both the demand and supply of resources-especially in economic downturns-are recognized as major limiting factors in achieving high levels of supply chain performance. The use of modern information technology (IT) decision support systems is fast becoming an indispensable tool for designing and managing complex supply chain systems today. This paper develops a framework for the design of a multi-agent based decision support system for the management disruptions and mitigation of risks in manufacturing supply chains.
Multi-agents based protocols for negotiation in a crisis management supply chain
In recent years, logistics has become a performance criterion for the organizations success. Supply Chain study is adopted more and more for the companies' competitiveness development. Our industrial partner EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company) handles a logistic flows demonstrator for crisis management, developed by our research team. Indeed, in previous works we proposed an approach, based on interactive autonomous entities. A Multi-Agent architecture is then planned to design a distributed supply chain through interactive software agents. In this paper, we focus on the disturbed mode of the supply chain so we propose to adopt an advanced interaction form between the autonomous entities. Therefore, we propose a new form of negotiation to avoid, in a crisis situation, the stock-out by balancing the resources provisions throughout the system. Simulation results prove the pertinence of the proposed solution.
Intelligent Agents and Risk Based Model for Supply Chain Management
Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 2012
This paper presents a software agent based framework's architecture for boosting performance in supply chain management applications. The framework is based on agent interaction and semantic web service composition. The purpose of such a platform is to develop flexible business applications for SCM transactions modeling, in collaborative and distributed economic systems. The interaction between agents is limited by a cybernetic model that takes into account several constraints one of the main being bankruptcy risk potential of the peer partner company.
An Agent-Based Distributed Scheduling For Crisis Management Supply Chain
International Journal of Computational Intelligence Systems, 2013
There has been a significant increase in the improvement of response to disasters in crisis management supply chain. Due to their sudden occurrence, these disasters require a consequent quick and efficient response that depends on the ability of logistics systems to generate plans under a variety of constraints. The supply chain studied in this work is a crisis management supply chain, composed of several elements such as transportation means, loading units, suppliers, equipment, resources, persons... We propose an innovative method for solving a distributed delivery scheduling problem, based on a multi-agent system, for the delivery of goods (food, water, clothes, etc.) to the areas affected by the disaster. The covered areas are geographically distributed and partitioned into multiple sub-regions. Each area is assigned a delivery scheduling sub problem. By employing a distributed cooperative framework, we achieved an incorporation of various evaluation parameters in the process of scheduling in order to maintain a high level of synchronization of all the supply chain, and so to insure a better response to the crisis.