Using Distributed Simulation to Support CPFR Practice: A Web Service-Oriented System Simulation Framework

Collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR) has been proved that it is an effective business practice in SCM (Supply Chain Management). In CPFR stand some core collaborative processes, such as sales forecasting, order forecasting and exception monitoring. However, most of existing forecast and decision researches focused on mathematical methods that have limitations for such stochastic processes. In this paper we suggest a distributed system simulation framework to support SC partners to carry on collaborative forecast and decision in their CPFR practice. In this framework, we use web service technologies to integrate partners' information systems and exchange partners' predictions. To support exceptions capturing, intelligent agents act as monitors to keep watching deviations between predictions and practical running results.