A Design of Web-based Agent Model for Global Supply Chain Management

국제적 공급사슬 관리를 위한 웹기반 에이전트모형 설계

We proposed a conceptual design of the web-based agent model for global supply chain management(GSCM), where agents representing autonomous operational units, such as suppliers, factories, distribution center and customers, cooperate and are coordinated through the information exchange. The agent model assumed the hierarchical federated system. In the federated system, the agents of the same region are grouped and linked to the region-specific facilitator only through which communication between agents is allowed. The facilitator is responsible for monitoring and controlling the conversations consisting of the message flows across the agents. A web-based user presentation was also designed so that human users could involve in collaborative settings into the GSCM multi-agent system. In the conversation protocols which allow for complex coordinated behavior among agents, the KQML was extended to represent the messages. A GSCM scenario where the supply chain is formed upon customer order and supply decision is made was used to demonstrate the dynamics of the conversation protocols.