Agent Based Modeling in a Fashion Demand Chains

Simulation tools for understanding logistics and create explanations for logistics operationsare often developed under a state of stability, equilibrium and linearity whereas logisticsare considered non-linear and complex. Agent based modelling provides the opportunity tobuild rigorous computer simulations of non-equilibrium systems and unlike othersimulation methods, no agent has full knowledge about the system it operates in and theagents act on heuristics rather than on rationality, much like customers and firms in the realworld. In the last twenty years the development in knitting technology has made it possibleto produce entire garments in one piece with no need for time-consuming cutting andsewing processes afterwards. This gives new opportunities to produce knitted garmentscloser to the customer and hence being able to respond faster to shifts in demand forknitwear. Agent Based Modelling will provide an excellent opportunity to simulate ademand chain of the kind where the customer designs the garment and the garment isproduced instantly. The aim is to create and present an agent-based model for the logisticsoperations in the Knit On Demand research project. The simulation will not only help togain insight about the dynamics and emergent behaviours in a textile demand chain butalso in demand chain management as a whole, as well as providing a base to testtheoretical frameworks