A modeling framework for supply chain simulation

In many industries logistic optimization on a company scale is no longer sufficient to meet the competition. Nowadays, competition takes place between supply chains. Intrinsic to the concept and success of a supply chain is the tuning of the activities of the companies involved. Given the complexity of most supply chains this is no easy job. Simulation is often seen as a proper means for supporting this job by enabling modeling and analysis of alternative supply chain designs. Starting from this viewpoint we propose an object oriented modeling framework that facilitates supply chain simulation. A distinguishing feature of the framework is the explicit notion of control structures, i.e., the managers or systems responsible for control, their activities and their mutual tuning of these activities. While such a notion seems natural in supply chain modeling most existing simulation tools hide control structures. Mostly they are hard coded and dispersed throughout the model. Consequently, not only realism but also modeling flexibility and modularity is harmed. Foreseen benefits of our approach lie in improved model verification/validation, efficient generation of alternative solutions to the problem and reduction of modeling efforts, e.g. think of re-use. The use of the framework is illustrated by a case example concerning a supply chain for chilled salads