Description
The majority of todays’ companies are still organized based on the principles of the Scientific Management defined back in the days by Frederick W. Taylor. Similarly, contemporary supply chains (SC) are predominately managed through the integrated approach of value chains once defined by Porter in 1985 (Reichwald, Piller, 2009). Both archaic theoretical frameworks put a strong emphasize on high operational efficiency, central planning and controlling competence, hierarchical, static and isolated structures as well as customer decoupling from value creation. Correspondingly, many recent models on SC design, planning and operations are grounded on those peculiarities (Chopra, Meindl, 2010). However, current advancements in information technology and customer integration as well as consistently high volatility on markets challenge the validity of existing decision support models in supply chain management (SCM) and necessitate a critical review of underlying modelling frameworks. Since SCM stresses the role of coordinating systems (Simchi-Levi, 2008) aspects of system thinking need to be incorporated in both managing and modelling supply chains. More specifically, holism, interdependency as well as dynamics represent key attributes that need to be considered in supply chain modelling. This central claim is further motivated by looking at two recent trends which will fundamentally affect the way of doing business in the future: collaborative networks (CN) as well as cyber-physical systems (CPS). The former constitute a proper concept to the traditional term supply chain these days. CN consist of a variety of entities (e.g. people, products, organization, etc.) that are autonomous, heterogeneous, spatially distributed and interconnected by computer networks for the purpose of better achieving common or compatible goals (Camarinha-Matos, Afsarmanesh, 2005). Cyber-physical systems represent an enabling information technology (IT) for decentralized-controlled collaborative networks through integrating physical entities, e.g. products, manufacturing equipment or transport vehicles, in digital networks and coordinating in real time (Acatech, 2011). Both trends also enhance customer integration (CI) which induces customers to move closer to the value creation process. As can be anticipated, this set of influencing factors requires a different modelling framework than those broadly applied today.| Period | 24 Apr 2014 |
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| Event title | European Meetings on Cybernetics and Systems Research 2014 |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Wien, AustriaShow on map |