Abstract
Keywords
Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Integration, e-SCM, automotive supplier network, network organization
Abstract
It is still a long way to a holistic management of the supply chain with the help of continuous and simultaneous data transmission, including demand forecasts, order sequences and integrated production, material and capacity schedules. Because of their limited capacities and financial resources small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) are not able to afford their own applied research department. Thats why the research project LiNet focuses on the requirements of medium-sized suppliers in the development of innovative and network-embracing logistical solutions and their rapid realization. Within the framework of the project a joint effort is made to develop, validate and ensure the transferability of innovative technical concepts, methods and applications to other businesses of the industry. Multiplier effects are used to cover the whole automotive industry by generalizing and publishing the results.
It is the goal of the joint project to create a network organization in which the design of the information and material flows is based on existing supply concepts. The management methods and innovative eSCM software solutions to be developed should not so much focus on car manufacturers, but on upstream value adding stages.
The research work centers primarily on the design of information and material flows, including all the vertical stages of the supplier network. These information and material flows perform as automatic control loops between suppliers, assembly plants and logistics providers. Besides, the information and material flows have to be supported by means of appropriate software tools. In addition, the complexity of the supply processes has to be reduced, while making them more transparent and easier to handle.
The ultimate objective is to create advanced and optimized supply concepts, as well as decentralized user-oriented cockpits for a parallel information supply and processing in production and supply networks. Another superior objective is the development of an early warning system across the network to avoid supply disruptions, as well as a rapid, pragmatic pilot implementation to test and validate the organizational and software results and solutions.