Katarzyna Grzybowska

Sustainability in the Supply Chain: Analysing the Enablers

The purpose of this chapter is to identify the enablers to sustainability in the Supply Chains and to understand their mutual relationships. Interpretive structural modelling was applied to present a hierarchy-based model and identify the contextual relationships among these enablers. This chapter defines sustainability, the Supply Chain (metastructure) and presents the ISM Methodology. The chapter presents the mutual relationships among the enablers of sustainability in the Supply Chain. Research shows that not all enablers to sustainability in the Supply Chain require the same amount of attention. A group of enablers that have high driving power and low dependence, requiring maximum attention exists. This classification will help Supply Chain managers to differentiate between independent and dependent variables. This classification will help them to focus on those variables that are most important for the transformation of the Supply Chain in sustainability.

Selected Activity Coordination Mechanisms in Complex Systems

The article is a presentation of the research results regarding selected activity coordination mechanisms. The research was carried out independently and within the framework of a research project. Reference coordination models, which serve further simulation works, are their result. The article consists of several parts. The first part discusses the most important issues regarding coordination theory. The second part discusses activity coordination in complex systems, multi-agent systems. Selected activity coordination mechanisms and their comparisons were presented in the third part. The article is concluded with a summary.

Modeling enablers for sustainable logistics collaboration integrating - Canadian and Polish perspectives

Collaboration planning is vital for achieving sustainable logistics. In this paper, we present an ISM based approach for modeling enablers for sustainable logistics collaboration integrating Canadian and Polish perspectives. Enablers can be defined as the key elements (or drivers) for achieving successful collaboration. A comprehensive literature review is conducted to identify 17 enablers for sustainable logistics collaboration. Based on these enablers, a questionnaire study is conducted with 20 logistics experts in Canada and Poland to identify their importance. Based on the aggregated expert ratings, an Interpretive Structural Model (ISM) is developed to identify the relationships among the various enablers. The results of our study show that not all enablers to sustainability collaboration between logistics partners require the same amount of attention. This classification will help Supply Chain managers to help them to focus on those variables that are most important for the transformation of collaboration between logistics partners.

Barriers of the Supply Chain Integration Process

Complex systems of supply chains need to be integrated. Such integration is essential in order to achieve sustainable logistics of the system. This chapter presents an approach to this issue based on DEMATEL methodology. This chapter presents an approach to this issue based on identifying the barriers in supply chain integration and understanding their cause effect relationships using the DEcision MAking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) methodology. A total of 17 barriers affecting the integration of business entities in the supply chain were identified through a survey addressed to experts from Poland and Canada. The results of the study show Lack of Resource sharing (integration), Lack of Organisational compatibility, Lack of Information sharing, Lack of Responsibility sharing, and Lack of Planning of supply chain activities as top five barriers in supply chain integration. Therefore, organizations should investigate causes behind these barriers and take appropriate measures to resolve them to ensure seamless integration across their supply chains.

The modelling and design process of coordination mechanisms in the supply chain

Abstract The process description languages, which are used in business, may be useful in logistics processes. The planning, organisation, direction and the control of the logistics processes might be more efficient if these formal languages are applied. During the logistics processes, many problems might arise, which should have already been addressed in the planning phase. In our days, the symptomatic treatment is a common practice, but it does not provide predictability. The obvious solution would be process control, in order to handle the main sources of faults and to give a correct list of what needs to be done during the logistics process. The process description languages may be useful not only in standardisation, but they may also help to avoid losses. Simulation experiments, on the basis of built model, also allow for the elimination of problems, standardisation and the limitation of losses. The aim of the article is a discussion of selected coordination mechanisms in the supply chain, its modelling in the form of a reference, as well as a discussion of the simulation experiment with the use of the FlexSim tool.

Application of an Electronic Bulletin Board, as a Mechanism of Coordination of Actions in Complex Systems - Reference Model

Background: In her previous research, the author of this public ation indicates that coordination is a dependent variable which has a great driving forc e and is a very unstable factor. This results in th e fact that all of the actions connected with coordination have an impact on other factors of cooperation as well as the inte gration of the enterprises in the structures of a supply chain typ e structure. Material and methods: The article has been divided into two basic parts . The first part regards the reference models in complex systems (supply chain systems). They can constitute a starting point for the modelling of targ et processes in the built supply chain structure. The second part prese nts template process models (Reference Models) for s elected action coordination mechanisms during enterprise cooperation. The aim of the article is the presentation the model an Electronic Bulletin Board (EBB), as a mechanism of coordination of actions in complex systems. Results: The article was prepared on the basis of literatur e from the researched area. The material was also p repared on the basis of interviews with practitioners. They ha ve allowed for the preparation of template process models (Reference Models) for selected action coordination methods in the supply chain. Conclusions: The result of the work is a prepared model as well as its description in the use of IDEF0. The presen ted model is a demonstrative model. The proposed reference model makes it possible to define the parameter s of a selected mechanism of coordination of actions, and forms a b asis for affecting the progression of the process t hrough an analysis of values of identified parameters. The parameteriz ation of elements constitutes the foundation for th e monitoring of the process via 1) unambiguous identification of the ob ject of monitoring and 2) analysis of different var iants of the progression of the process.

Developing agile supply chains --- system model, algorithms, applications

Nowadays, a modern company operates as a network of companies, not as a single company. These companies are called virtual enterprises, whose main purpose is the maximal fulfilment of costumer needs. Based on this, the paper presents the construction of agile supply chains and as an example it details the model, the algorithms and the applications of a modern electronic freight and warehouse exchange, which is a type of virtual enterprises.

A Multi-Agent Approach to the Multi-Echelon Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

The paper presents a concept and application of a multi-agent approach to modeling and optimization the Multi-Echelon Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem. Two environments (mathematical programming (MP) and constraint logic programming (CLP)) and two types of agents were integrated. The strengths of MP and CLP, in which constraints are treated in a different way and different methods are implemented, were combined to use the strengths of both. The proposed approach is particularly important for the decision models with an objective function and many discrete decision variables added up in multiple constraints. The Two-Echelon Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (2E-CVRP) is an extension of the classical Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP) where the delivery depot-customers pass through intermediate depots (called satellites). Multi-echelon distribution systems are quite common in supply-chain and logistic systems. The presented multi-agent approach will be compared with classical mathematical programming on the same data sets.

Investigating Organizational Characteristics for Sustainable Supply Chain Planning Under Fuzziness

Sustainable supply chains are essential to sustain modern business growth and ensure healthy market environment. In this chapter, we address the important characteristics that constituent organizations of supply chains should possess in order to achieve the social, economic and environmental objectives of sustainability. These characteristics (criteria) are obtained using Affinity Diagram. Then, a committee of decision makers is formed to provide linguistic ratings to the candidate organizations (alternatives) against the selected criteria. The linguistic ratings are then transformed into fuzzy numbers and subject to multicriteria decision making technique called VIKOR for sustainability assessment of organizations. A numerical illustration is provided to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach.

Adaptive inventory control in production systems

This paper presents an adaptive inventory control system based on neuro-fuzzy logic. In particular we describe a control system using adaptive neuro-fuzzy interference (ANFIS) for calculating the optimal value of the storage level of goods. An implementation in MATLAB had been used to test and verify the proposed idea for the economic order quantity as a simple inventory control system. Our results shows that the presented approach is able to determine the optimal stock level and cost without knowing the exact mathematical model of the examined system.