Supply chains and their management: Application of general systems theory

This theoretical paper discusses the application of general systems theory to supply chains and the management of supply chains. Applying general systems theory to supply chains and their management allows them to be abstracted from their real world complexity. The abstraction process uses the view of general systems theory developed by Yourdon E. [1989. Modern Structured Analysis, Yourdon Press, Prentice-Hall International, Englewood Cliffs, NJ] in his seminal work on the fundamental characteristics of information systems. In particular, Yourdon's (1989) four general systems theory based principles for information systems are applied to supply chains and their management. Through a theoretical discussion informed by relevant research literature it is considered that a more fundamental view of supply chains has been developed. That is, the application of the four general systems theory principles developed to supply chains is supported and this application provides deeper insights into how supply chains operate. This in turn should allow better supply chain management processes to be developed.