INTELLIGENT SUPPLY CHAIN AGENTS

1
INTELLIGENT SUPPLY CHAIN AGENTS

• E-Biz Course
• Prof. Mark Nissen
• Week 4 Session

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Three-Pillars Model

• Biz model value-added intermediation
• Technology multi-agent systems
• System anal design RAD, agent shell
• DoD application military supply chain
• Approach (dis)intermediate military supply chain
  process using MAS
• Implementation Intelligent Mall

3
Supply Chain Management

• SC management is critical biz competency
• Longstanding focus on profit/cost risk
• Speed flexibility increasingly important
• Trend toward disintermediation (in/external)
• Question role value of intermediaries
• Aggregation, trust, facilitation, matching
• Examples brokers, agents, market makers,
  wholesalers, distributors, purchasing, others
• Value added vs. cost/time of services
• Potential for I-agent (dis)intermediation

4
Agent Definitions - Review

• Disagreement on agent definition
• Classify by attributes (intel, mobility)
• Classify by intention (transact, represent)
• Useful abstraction (module, object)
• Many diverse agent examples
• Information filtering (incoming)
• Information retrieval (search)
• Advisory (decision)
• Performative (state)

5
Agent Technology - Review
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Multi-Agent Approach

• Continue from Nissen Mehra (1998)
• Performative agent federation
• Procurement order-fulfillment processes
• Represent as single integrated process
• Capture formalize process knowledge (KE)
• Operational supply chain
• University procurement process
• Hi-tech order fulfillment process
• Agent integration social conformance

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Supply Chain Process
User Procurement
Vendor
ID rqmts
Advertise
Market survey
PR form
Verify form
Research sources
Issue RFQ
Prep quotes
Analyze quotes
Select source
Fulfill order
Issue order
Send invoice
Receive goods
Use goods
Make payment
Deposit funds
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B2B Commerce Model
B1 B2 B3 B4
B5
Use,
Buyer
ID
Find
Arrange
Purchase
maintain,
need
source
terms
dispose
Intermediary
Money
Information
Information
Influence
goods
(0
thru
n)
X1 X2 X3

X4

X5

X6
Seller
Arrange
Find
Arrange
Fulfill
Support
to provide
customer
terms
order
customer
S1 S2 S3 S4
S5
Process flow
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Process Design General Commerce Model
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Agent-Integrated Process
User I-Mall
Vendor
ID rqmts
Market survey
Launch agents
Launch agents
ltSelect sourcegt
ltFulfill ordergt
Receive use goods
Deposit funds
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Intelligent Mall

• Mall metaphor
• More complex, robust than supply chain
• More demanding agent behaviors
• Intelligent mall more than virtual/cyber
• Virtual shops and shoppers
• Specialty agents, nearly unlimited number
• Represent buyers and sellers
• Agents very fast, accurate, reliable
• Extend capabilities (rules, sources, vigil)
• Replace/enhance internal intermediaries

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ISCA Architecture
ADE - Agent Development Environment - Within
(networked) G2 systems (objects methods) -
Heterogeneous JVM platforms (JavaBeans) -
Multi-threaded agents, inter-agent
messaging Alternative AgentBuilder (Reticular
Systems)
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Grafcet behavior flows
Objects, methods messages
Virtual mall/supply chain Intelligent
procurement agents
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Regulatory environment
Agents locate select suppliers, virtually,
arrange terms
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Agents complete transactions, return with
goods/contracts
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Preliminary Results

• Developed proof-of-concept MAS
• Agent (dis)intermediation feasible
• Demonstrated good performance
• Correct behaviors, justifiable decisions
  actions
• Process speed flexibility
• Super-human vigilance, persistence, reliability
• Problems
• Emergent, distributed behaviors are complex
• Trust remains huge impediment (credit cards)
• When to (dis)intermediate via I-agents?

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(Dis)intermediation (Dis)integration Model
(Dis)integration
External Internal Intermediary ? ?
Purchasing Direct ? I-Mall
(Dis)intermediation