A Complex Negotiation Model for Multi-Echelon Supply Chain Networks

This paper focuses on a complex negotiation model for supply chain networks (SCNs), where multi-attribute, multi-item, multi-linked, and multi-echelon are simultaneously involved. An ideal simultaneous multi-attribute multi-item negotiation model for multi-echelon SCNs is proposed, where the decision makings of manufacturer agents (MAs) for retailer agents and the decision makings of MAs for material supplier agents (MSAs) are made simultaneously. Buyers in the proposed model are assumed build-to-order. Both concessions and preferences among attributes and items are considered during decision makings of agents. It is verified that the proposed simultaneous model based negotiation protocol is feasible and effective in solving the complex negotiation problems, and it is a “triple-win” solution for all the participants in SCNs.