Supply Chain Analysis and E-Business

Abstract

Supply chain analysis is the study of quantitative models that characterize various economic tradeoffs in the supply chain. The field has made significant strides in both theoretical and practical fronts. On the theoretical front, supply chain analysis inspires new research ventures that blend operations research, game theory, and microeconomics. These ventures result in an unprecedented amalgamation of prescriptive, descriptive, and predictive models characteristic of each subfield. On the practical front, supply chain analysis offers solid foundations for strategic positioning, policy setting, and decision making. Over the past two decades, not only has supply chain analysis become a strategic focus of leading firms, it has also spawned an impressive array of research that brings together diverse research communities. Adding to this diversity and intellectual energy is the emergence of E-Business. E-Business creates new competitive dimensions that are fast-paced, ever-changing, and risk-prone, dimensions where innovation, speed, and technological savvy often define success. Most importantly, E-Business challenges the premises and expands the scope of supply chain analysis.

S. David Wu is supported by NSF Grants DMI-0075391 and DMI-0121395