Affiliations: [a] Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Department, College of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan – Dearborn, 4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, MI 48128-1491, USA Tel.: +1 313 593 5258; Fax: +1 313 593 3692; E-mail: charu@umich.edu | [b] Department of Engineering and Technology Management, University of St. Thomas Mail #OSS 101, 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105-1079, USA Tel.: +1 651 962 5768; Fax: +1 651 962 6419; E-mail: skumar@stthomas.edu | [c] St. Petersburg Institute for Informatics and Automation, Russian Academy of Sciences, 39, 14th line, St. Petersburg, 199178, Russia Tel.: +7 812 328 8071; Fax: +7 812 328 0685; E-mail: smir@mail.iias.spb.su
Abstract: The management of Supply Chain Systems is one of the major issues that a firm has to deal with in today's global economy. The purpose of this type of system is to transform incomplete information about the market and available resources into co-ordinated plans for production and replenishment of goods and services in the network formed by co-operating units. One of the goals of Internet-Based Management (e-management) is to facilitate transfer and sharing of data and knowledge in the context of supply chain structures. Knowledge-based modelling tools for supply chain management utilise reusable components and configure knowledge as needed, in order to assist users (agents) in decision-making. This paper discusses a generic development methodology for e-management and conceptual modelling of supply chains. For illustration, applications from the automotive industry have been utilised.
