Evaluation of paradigms for modeling supply chains as complex socio-technical systems

  • Authors:
  • Behzad Behdani

  • Affiliations:
  • Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the Winter Simulation Conference
  • Year:
  • 2012

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Abstract

Each simulation paradigm is characterized by a set of core assumptions and some underlying concepts to describe the world. These assumptions, in fact, constrain the development of a conceptual model for the system of study. Consequently, the choice of appropriate simulation paradigm is an important step in the model development process. In this paper, selection of a simulation approach for supply chain modeling is discussed. For this purpose, the supply chain is described from perspective of two well-established system theories. Firstly, supply chains are defined as socio-technical systems. Afterwards, they are described from complex adaptive systems perspective. This study gives a set of features for supply chains as complex socio-technical systems which is subsequently used to compare three simulation paradigms for supply chain modeling -- namely, system dynamics, discrete-even simulation and agent-based simulation.