Flexibility analysis of process supply chain networks

• Optimization-based framework for quantitative flexibility analysis of supply chains.
• Individual and overall flexibility indices to capture effects of different uncertainty sources.
• Connection with various types of flexibility discussed in operations research literature.
• Case studies to demonstrate the application of the framework.

One of the key fundamentals for organizations to remain competitive in the present economic climate is to effectively manage their supply chains under uncertainty. The notion of supply chain flexibility attempts to characterize the ability of a supply chain to perform satisfactorily in the face of uncertainty. However, limited quantitative analysis is available. In this work, we utilize a flexibility analysis framework developed within the context of process operations and design to characterize supply chain flexibility. This framework also provides a quantitative mapping to various types of flexibility discussed in the operations research and management science literature. Two case studies are included to illustrate the application of this framework for analyzing the flexibility of existing supply chain processes, as well as utilizing it in supply chain design.