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Will bots take over the supply chain? Revisiting agent-based supply chain automation

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  • Xu, Liming
  • Mak, Stephen
  • Brintrup, Alexandra

Abstract

Agent-based systems have the capability to fuse information from many distributed sources and create better plans faster. This feature makes agent-based systems naturally suitable to address the challenges in Supply Chain Management (SCM). Although agent-based supply chains systems have been proposed since the early 2000s; industrial uptake of them has been lagging. The reasons quoted include the immaturity of technology, a lack of interoperability with supply chain information systems, and a lack of trust in Artificial Intelligence (AI). In this paper, we revisit the agent-based supply chain and review the state of the art. We find that agent-based technology has matured, and other supporting technologies that are penetrating supply chains; are filling in gaps, leaving the concept applicable to a wider range of functions. For example, the ubiquity of IoT technology helps agents “sense” the state of affairs in a supply chain and opens up new possibilities for automation. Digital ledgers help securely transfer data between third parties, making agent-based information sharing possible, without the need to integrate Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Learning functionality in agents enables agents to move beyond automation and towards autonomy. We note this convergence effect through conceptualising an agent-based supply chain framework, reviewing its components, and highlighting research challenges that need to be addressed in moving forward.

Suggested Citation

  • Xu, Liming & Mak, Stephen & Brintrup, Alexandra, 2021. "Will bots take over the supply chain? Revisiting agent-based supply chain automation," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:proeco:v:241:y:2021:i:c:s0925527321002553
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpe.2021.108279
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    2. Tan Ching Ng & Sie Yee Lau & Morteza Ghobakhloo & Masood Fathi & Meng Suan Liang, 2022. "The Application of Industry 4.0 Technological Constituents for Sustainable Manufacturing: A Content-Centric Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Richter, Lucas & Lehna, Malte & Marchand, Sophie & Scholz, Christoph & Dreher, Alexander & Klaiber, Stefan & Lenk, Steve, 2022. "Artificial Intelligence for Electricity Supply Chain automation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    4. Delke, Vincent & Schiele, Holger & Buchholz, Wolfgang & Kelly, Stephen, 2023. "Implementing Industry 4.0 technologies: Future roles in purchasing and supply management," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    5. Patanjal Kumar & Sachin Kumar Mangla & Yigit Kazancoglu & Ali Emrouznejad, 2023. "A decision framework for incorporating the coordination and behavioural issues in sustainable supply chains in digital economy," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 326(2), pages 721-749, July.

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