Towards a use of network analysis: quantifying the complexity of Supply Chain Networks. (6th July 2007)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Battini, Daria; Persona, Alessandro; Allesina, Stefano
• Is Part Of: International journal of electronic customer relationship management. Volume 1:Number 1(2007)
• Page Start: 75
• Page End: 90
• Publication Date: 2007-07-06
• Subjects: supply chain management -- SCM -- supply networks -- industrial systems -- network analysis -- supply chain complexity -- supply chain performance -- material flows -- interaction flows -- average mutual information -- AMI -- network indices -- graph theory -- customer relationship management -- network flows -- ecosystem approach; Customer relations -- Management -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Electronic commerce -- Periodicals; 658.8120285
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-0664

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to quantify the complexity and organisation level of an industrial network working towards the development of a 'Supply Chain Network Analysis' (SCNA). By measuring flows of goods and interaction costs between different sectors of activity within the supply chain borders, a network of flows is built and successively investigated by network analysis, a tool widely applied in ecosystem ecology. The result of this study supports the idea that an ecosystem approach can provide an interesting conceptual perspective in which the modern supply network can be framed, and that network analysis can handle these issues in practice.