Developing a Basic Formal Supply Chain Ontology to Improve Communication and Interoperability

Information is crucial to supply chain performance because it is used to make decisions and trigger actions. Organizations across world-class supply chains increasingly use information technology to analyze and process supply chain data. However, supply chain management lacks a common language, making information exchange difficult. An ontology can provide a standardized framework that organizes a given knowledge domain. This research proposes a common language for developing a supply chain ontology that can be built into a basic formal ontology understood by both humans and computers. According to current research, an established and widely used supply chain framework is a good starting point for developing a supply chain ontology. Many researchers recommend using the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) Model. This framework is translated into a software package that generates a Web Ontology Language (OWL), which can be used by information technology. This research analyzes the need for a standard supply chain language and identifies a framework to use as a starting point for developing an ontology. Using SCOR 12.0 as the framework, an XML/OWL based model is developed, which can be used by information technology to improve information exchanges between supply chain partners. Supply chain practitioners will benefit from an ontology built on the SCOR 12.0 framework that has been digitalized to support information technology professionals and enable supply digital supply chains