Object oriented modeling and decision support for supply chains

Numerous algorithms and tools have been deployed in supply chain modeling and problem solving. These are based on stochastic models, mathematical programming models, heuristic techniques, and simulation. Since different decision problems in supply chains entail different approaches to be used for modeling and problem solving, there is a need for a unified approach to modeling supply chains so that any required representation can be created in a rapid and flexible way. In this paper, we develop a decision support system DESSCOM (decision support for supply chains through object modeling) which enables strategic, tactical, and operational decision making in supply chains. DESSCOM has two major components: (1) DESSCOM-MODEL, a modeling infrastructure comprising a library of carefully designed generic objects for modeling supply chain elements and dynamic interactions among these elements, and (2) DESSCOM-WORKBENCH, a decision workbench that can potentially include powerful algorithmic and simulation-based solution methods for supply chain decision-making. Through DESSCOM-MODEL, faithful models of any given supply chain can be created rapidly at any desired level of abstraction. Given a supply chain decision problem to be solved, the object oriented models created at the right level of detail can be transformed into problem formulations that can then be solved using an appropriate strategy from DESSCOM-WORKBENCH. We have designed and implemented a prototype of DESSCOM. We provide a real-world case study of a liquid petroleum gas supply chain to demonstrate the use of DESSCOM to model supply chains and enable decision-making at various levels. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.