Autor: Hans-Dietrich Haasis

A supply chain is a worldwide network of suppliers, manufacturers, warehouses, distribution centres and retailers through which raw materials are procured, transformed and delivered to customers. In recent years, a new systems approach to supply chain management has emerged at both tactical and operational levels. It views a supply chain as an interaction of intelligent (software) agents that are responsible for one or more activities and interact with other related agents in planning and executing tasks. In this article two application examples of so-called multi-agent systems for supply chain management are presented.

Decisions regarding strategic flexibility are qualitative and complex. This article introduces an attempt to operationalize the construct of strategic flexibility. As a decision support tool for strategic flexibility management - a management of intentional change, it will be developed a qualitative performance-measurement-system. This tool will provide the user a deeper knowledge of relevant design parameters of strategic flexibility and their relations.