Mohd Rizal Salleh

A blackboard-based negotiation for collaborative supply chain system

Abstract Supply chain management system (SCM) is an integrated network of suppliers, factories, warehouses, distribution centers and retailers, through which the whole chain of logistic processes is managed so that it should aim at a faster and more flexible co-ordination between a company and its customers and suppliers within the chain. Collaboration among the members of SCM plays a critical role to implement an effective SCM, but its implementation would not be easy only with the conventional information sharing mechanism. This study employs the idea of open tender concept with blackboard-based negotiation to develop a collaborative supply chain system. The open tender concept is designed to provide an open and free opportunity to all participants, which make a sound competition to obtain the tender. Blackboard-based negotiation is derived from the mechanism of negotiation among intelligent agents using a blackboard as a media where each agent exchange information. The study applies the idea to a parts/material supply system, which is designed to function as a part of SCM. For replenishment of parts/materials, a company issues a tender and publishes it to a public blackboard for information exchange via the Internet using electronic tender submission form to find appropriate suppliers. Candidate suppliers to the tender are invited to issue their quotations, which compete one another under an open environment and the most appropriate candidate is selected as a result of open competition.

Quality improvement through distance learning in supply chain management

The competitive market situation enforces manufacturers to take strenuous efforts to let customers purchase their products continuously. In order to prolong customer-reliance, manufacturers are responsible for increasing their productivity and customer satisfaction through the improvements in overall quality that encompasses quality of parts, products, employees, services and etc. However, initial defects on parts that occurred during the initial time of production while suppliers still have the responsibility may cause severe deterioration of the quality of final products. The countermeasure of this problem can be taken through education and training for suppliers to improve the quality of parts. This kind of quality improvement can contribute to improve the quality of products and also be a key factor for a manufacturer to gain customer trustworthiness. In the meantime, distance learning is attracting attention as the new technique for education, and its utilization is also extended to other fields. This study focuses on the field of supply chain management and applies a distance learning approach as a tool of education and training for suppliers to improve the quality of parts.

Improved decision making in lean manufacturing using simulation-based approach

This study aims to enhance the efficacy of decision-making process in ascertaining waste by means of simulation. Waste involving any tasks that are unable to make any value addition to products from the consumers side. Simulation can be deployed to improve the decision-making as well as knowledge of a lean practitioner (LP). To assess the production system and make decision-making more precise, a simulation-based approach was formulated and applied. The results established that production cost and waiting time can be reduced through worker arrangement.