Electronic Supply Network Coordination in Intelligent and Dynamic Environments: Modeling and Implementation

This book is a compilation of innovative work focused on the cutting edge of supply chain management and supply network research, examining issues using new techniques, approaches, and methods to help bring about higher levels of coordination, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Supply networks are growing in size and dynamically restructured, increasing the complexity of coordinating the participating entities. Traditional models and approaches cannot efficiently handle such complex systems, and it is essential to automate the coordination process by utilizing information technology and intelligent tools. This book will provide novel models and techniques emerging from such needs as a guidance of managing the complex supply networks.

Electronic Supply Network has emerged as an important tool to manage supply network. A change in attitude and philosophy is needed in order to implement efficiently the optimization of supply network. Companies must get together to propose a general service, rather than trying to compete. New ways of supplying and subcontracting require improved dialogue and a cultural evolution relying on cooperation rather than on confrontation. Indeed, in supply chain practices, tools such as market places or approaches such as logistic partnership networks will become generalized. Companies should be prepared for this cultural change. For that, it is important to study the mechanisms that allow equity between members of the network and to show that these approaches can help the company in its development. The transparency and the rigor of decision-making mechanisms used lead companies to more and more requirements from itself, which results in transforming the management tool into a continuous performance improvement tool. E-Supply Network approaches can reduce costs, and response times; improve the benefits and flexibility of supply network. This book will be helpful for professionals and researchers working in the field of supply chain management.