Process management in supply chains - a new Petri-net based approach

Supply chain process management (SCPM) refers to the design and control of interrelated production, logistics and information processes on an operational level. In this paper, we present an innovative approach to SCPM, based on a new type of high level Petri nets, so called XML-nets. With the proposed XML-nets, the capabilities of SCPM can be significantly enhanced in comparison to existing methods. By employing XML-nets, not only single phases, i.e. modelling, analysis and control, but SCPM as a whole can be improved. XML-nets facilitate an integral approach to SCPM by using a consistent and comprehensible methodology throughout all relevant phases. A further application potential results from applying the widely used XML standard: A SCPM software application can be directly linked to different transactional systems, in order to exchange relevant (intra and inter-organisational) process data. After a detailed introduction to supply chain process modelling with XML-nets, the advantages of the proposed methodology is clearly outlined on the basis of a practical modelling example. Thereupon we demonstrate the architecture and functions of an XML-net based prototype software tool supporting SCPM.