"Supply Chain Event Management (SCEM)" is one of the major topics in application-oriented Supply Chain Management. However, many solutions lack conceptual precision and currently available client-server SCEM-systems are ill-suited for complex supply networks in today's business environment. Agent-based proactive information logistics promises to overcome existing deficits by providing event-related information to all participants in the distributed environment. Hence, follow-up costs of disruptive events are significantly reduced for all network participants and performance of a supply network is increased. In this book a thorough analysis of the event management problem domain is the starting point to develop a generic agent-based approach to Supply Network Event Management. The main focus lies on practical issues of event management (e.g., semantic interoperability) and economic benefits to be achieved with agent technology in this state-of-the-art problem domain.
Author(s): Roland Zimmermann
Series: International Federation for Information Processing 191
Edition: 1
Publisher: Birkhäuser Basel
Year: 2006
Language: English
Pages: 335
Contents......Page 6
1 Introduction......Page 12
2.1.1 Event-related Information Logistics......Page 15
2.1.2 Supply Networks......Page 19
2.1.3 Formal Specification of the Problem......Page 24
2.2 Requirements of an Event Management Solution......Page 27
2.2.1 General Requirements......Page 29
2.2.2 Functional Requirements......Page 30
2.2.3 Data Requirements......Page 32
2.3.1 Benefits for Single Enterprises......Page 34
2.3.2 Analysis of Supply Network Effects......Page 37
2.3.3 Benefits for Supply Networks......Page 40
2.3.4 Summary on Potential Benefits......Page 42
2.4.1 Tracking Systems......Page 44
2.4.2 SCEM Software......Page 49
2.4.3 Conclusion on Existing Approaches......Page 57
3.1.1 Representation of the Supply Network Domain......Page 59
3.1.2 Aggregation and Refinement of Status Data......Page 67
3.1.3 Disruptive Event Data for Decision Support......Page 71
3.1.4 Extendable Data Structures......Page 74
3.2.1 Requirements for Semantic Interoperability......Page 75
3.2.2 Existing Approaches......Page 78
3.2.3 Ontology for Supply Network Event Management......Page 80
3.3 Data Sources......Page 84
3.3.1 Data Bases......Page 85
3.3.2 Internet Sources and Web Services......Page 88
3.3.3 Radio Frequency Identification Technologies......Page 92
4.1 Information Gathering in Supply Networks......Page 97
4.1.1 Trigger Events......Page 98
4.1.2 Inter-organizational Information Gathering......Page 99
4.2 Proactive and Flexible Monitoring......Page 106
4.2.1 Critical Profiles......Page 107
4.2.2 Discovery of Critical Profiles......Page 110
4.2.3 Continuous Assessment of Critical Profiles......Page 115
4.3.1 Basic Approach......Page 123
4.3.2 Data Interpretation with Fuzzy Logic......Page 125
4.3.3 Aggregated Order Status......Page 126
4.3.4 Assessment of Disruptive Events......Page 130
4.3.5 Adjustment of Milestone Plans......Page 132
4.4 Distribution of Event Data......Page 137
4.4.1 Alert Management Process......Page 138
4.4.2 Alert Decision Management......Page 139
4.4.3 Escalation Management......Page 143
4.4.4 Selection of Recipient and Media Type......Page 146
4.4.5 Selection of Content......Page 149
4.5.1 Event Management Functions......Page 151
4.5.2 Distributed Event Management in Supply Networks......Page 153
5.1.1 Introduction to Software Agents......Page 155
5.1.2 Benefits of Agent Technology for Event Management......Page 159
5.1.3 Related Work in Agent Technologies......Page 161
5.2.1 Approaches......Page 164
5.2.2 AUML for Supply Network Event Management......Page 167
5.3.1 Roles and Agent Types......Page 171
5.3.2 Agent Interactions......Page 176
5.3.3 Institutional Agreements......Page 183
5.4.1 Structure......Page 185
5.4.2 Behaviors......Page 186
5.4.3 Interactions......Page 191
5.5.1 Structure......Page 192
5.5.2 Behaviors......Page 194
5.5.3 Interactions......Page 198
5.6.1 Structure......Page 199
5.6.2 Behaviors......Page 200
5.6.3 Interactions......Page 203
5.7.1 Structure......Page 205
5.7.2 Behaviors......Page 206
5.7.3 Interactions......Page 208
6.1 Generic Prototype......Page 210
6.1.1 Overview......Page 211
6.1.2 Ontology Integration......Page 215
6.1.3 Coordination Agent......Page 220
6.1.4 Surveillance Agent......Page 226
6.1.5 Discourse Agent......Page 231
6.1.6 Wrapper Agent......Page 233
6.2.1 Simulated Enterprise Data Base......Page 235
6.2.2 Simulator......Page 236
6.3.1 Overview......Page 238
6.3.2 Coordination Agent......Page 240
6.3.3 Surveillance Agent......Page 245
6.3.4 Wrapper Agent......Page 249
7.1.1 Constraints to an Evaluation......Page 251
7.1.2 Multi-dimensional Evaluation......Page 252
7.2.1 Effects of SNEM Cycles......Page 256
7.2.2 Costs of Event Management......Page 258
7.2.3 Cost-Benefit-Model and Benchmarks......Page 261
7.2.4 Supply Network Effects......Page 266
7.2.5 Event Management with Profiles......Page 267
7.2.6 Conclusions......Page 274
7.3.1 Reaction Function......Page 275
7.3.2 Experimental Results......Page 278
7.3.3 Cost-Benefit Analysis......Page 281
7.3.4 Conclusions......Page 283
7.4.1 Prototype Assessment......Page 284
7.4.2 Analysis of Follow-up Costs......Page 286
7.4.3 Conclusions......Page 290
7.5 Summary - Benefits and Constraints......Page 291
8.1 Supply Network Event Management......Page 294
8.2 Further Research Opportunities......Page 296
8.2.1 Object Chips for Supply Network Event Management......Page 297
8.2.3 Integration and Acceptance Issues......Page 299
Appendices......Page 301
References......Page 315
