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Supply Chain Systems

0. Purpose & Introduction

1. Supply Chains as Systems

How can Supply Chains be described as processing systems

  • From Deming1
  • Aim and success for Supply Chains
  • Inputs & Outputs
  • Overall Structure
    • Not a chain, but a network
  • Types of Components
    • Nodes
    • Links
    • Assets
    • But Layers

2. The Information Structure of Supply Chains: Overview

Why, ISO layers, …

3. The Information Structure of Supply Chains: Layers

  • Assets
  • Loads: Buffer, Group, Ungroup, Route/Move, VAS
  • Shipments: Ship (Pick, Pack, Load), Receive (Unload, Decant, Putaway), Transport, Store
  • Transactions: Produce, Consume??
  • Business: Demand, Fulfill??

4. The Information Structure of Supply Chains: Scopes

  • Sensors & Actuators
  • Material Handling: Machines
  • Logistics Functions: Nodes, Links
  • Network
  • Industry

5. The Science of Supply Chains

  • Resource Allocation
    • Optimization
    • Market Equilibrium
  • Queuing
  • Measurement
  • The Demand/Fulfillment Model
    • Nodes
    • Routes
    • Brokers

6. Managing Supply Chains

  • Black-Box View
    • What can be observed
    • What controls are available
  • Management Viewpoints
    • Assets
    • Movements
    • Transactions

7. History of Supply Chain Systems

  • Isolated Nodes
  • Layering
  • Fragmentation
  • Typical Feature Lists

8. Where do they need to go next

  • Current Trends
  • What needs to change
    • The limits of “single system” thinking
    • ERP’s can’t handle supply chains

9. A Conceptual Architecture

  • Distribution
  • Functions to support
  • Design Patterns
    • Processing
    • Storage
    • Communications
      • Local
      • Global
    • UX

10. Organizational Structures

  • Dimensions:
    • Vertical Integration/Specialists
    • Asset Intensive/Asset Light

11. Wrap-up


  1. Deming, W. E. 1997. The new economics for industry, government, education (2. ed., 4. printing). Cambridge, MA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology / Center for Advanced Educational Services.