Scalable Enterprise Systems: Scalable Decision Support Technology For Enterprise Intermediaries

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This grant provides funding for the development of decision support technologies for e-market intermediaries. The Phase I focus will be on an intermediary model that matches a given set of demands to a set of supplies, e.g., to inventory or capacity across a set of production facilities. Four primary tasks will be required: (1) data representation specification (i.e. supply and demand); (2) intermediary architecture development; (3) matching algorithm development; and, (4) prototype implementation. Due to the Phase I time restrictions, these tasks will be initially adopted for the paper industry. The prototype will be based on an Internet application in order to ensure rapid implementation and easy demonstration. If successful, the primary benefit of this research will be the development of an enterprise approach that can achieve economies of scope attempted in ERP systems, but without the limitations of inflexibility and poor scalability. The enterprise intermediary will allow for multi-attribute search and decision support functionality that provides both the buyers and the suppliers with the ability to build dynamic supply chains and to make best use of this extra flexibility. The trading system will bring value to the participants by lowering the cost of transactions, improving manufacturing efficiency, and improving the business process.