Title: IIMS: an integrated inventory management system based on software agent

Authors: Hsi-Mei Chen, Cheng-Sian Chang

Addresses: Department of Information Management, Kun Shan University, No. 949, Dawan Rd., Yungkang City, Tainan County, Taiwan. ' Department of Information and Learning Technology, National University of Tainan, No. 33, Sec. 2, Shu-Lin St. Tainan, 700 Taiwan

Abstract: Advances in information technology have made the global operation of an enterprise possible. However, the control of information flow and logistics of retail outlets is far more complicated and more necessary than ever. The planning and management of the global stocks has to be drawn up from a strategic angle. In our research, we solve most of the inventory-related decision problems, which are divided into three domains and five dimensions by the concept of supply chain management. We propose an Integrated Inventory Management System (IIMS) to improve the effectiveness and efficiencies of inventory control. The IIMS framework constitutes software agents that enable systems to negotiate and cooperate with each other. The management processes are reconstructed to arrange agents into different uses and missions.

Keywords: strategic planning; software agents; supplier selection; transportation management; integrated inventory management; information flow; logistics; retailing; supply chain management; SCM; inventory control.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2009.021605

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2009 Vol.4 No.1, pp.105 - 124

Published online: 30 Nov 2008 *

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