Computers and Industrial Engineering
Capacity expansion decision in supply chains: A control theory application
International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing - THE CHALLENGES OF MANUFACTURING IN THE GLOBALLY INTEGRATED ECONOMY. GUEST EDITOR: ROBIN G. QIU
Behaviour adaptation in the multi-agent, multi-objective and multi-role supply chain
Computers in Industry
Hybrid simulation models - When, Why, How?
Expert Systems with Applications: An International Journal
Towards a hybrid simulation modelling framework for service networks
ServiceWave'10 Proceedings of the 2010 international conference on Towards a service-based internet
Network optimization in supply chain: A KBGA approach
Decision Support Systems
Information Sharing Strategies in Business-to-Business E-Hubs: An Agent-Based Study
International Journal of Intelligent Information Technologies
SCOlog: A logic-based approach to analysing supply chain operation dynamics
Expert Systems with Applications: An International Journal
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Supply chain networks of independent firms collaborating to serve a final market are becoming a normal business phenomenon. Yet, at present it is not clear if and how such networks can achieve stability. Nor is it obvious what successful managerial guidelines might be for individual companies operating in such networks regarding collaboration with the other firms involved. This exploratory study investigates these questions using a generic simulation model of 100 actors distributed over three supply echelons. The model was developed in a system dynamics simulation environment using design principles from agent-based modeling. In this model, each actor holds mental models of the performance of the other actors he is interacting with. Preferences for doing business with these other agents are driven by this performance. Agents differ in the degree in which they value long-term relationships over short-term performance. Model analysis shows that stability in this complex network emerges spontaneously as relative preferences become fixed over time. This lock-in occurs early in the simulation during a period of considerable stress in the various supply chain echelons. Overall, those agents that base their relative preferences primarily on the short-term performance of their counterparts fare somewhat better than agents focusing on the nature of their long-term relationships. A real-world example of a supply network exhibiting characteristics such as the ones observed in the model is presented. Methodological considerations, model limitations and tentative managerial guidelines are discussed.