Classification of literature on integrated SC management planning in chemical industry

Tkble 4.2 Classification of literature on integrated SC management planning in chemical industry 

The literature review also reveals that most simulation-based approaches lack a systematic procedure for deriving recommendations of improvements. Instead, most approaches still bear the stigma of rather descriptive models where a (pre-)selected number of scenarios is evaluated and compared. Potentials for improvement are not revealed directly this way. However, a systematic procedure for post-analysis of simulation models can lead to an exploration of the space of possible system configurations which allows deriving recommendations for improvements on a (more) reliable basis. This topic wfil be discussed in section 4.3.4. 

A further fact is that most integrated approaches do not consider transport processes accurately, in particular at the operational level. Most approaches focus on production planning decisions and handle logistical processes as auxiliary components. Exceptions 

Planning a network of integrated chemical production sites causes various problems. Due to the interdependency of the production processes, local disturbances at a certain level of a particular production site can affect the site s performance entirely or at least downstream (inter-site effect). Moreover, due to the interconnectedness of production sites in a chemical production network, such a local disturbance can spread out on the entire SC (intra-site effect). This fypicaUy feads to increased risk costs. The organization and central control of chemical production networks aims at hmiting the effects of such disturbances. 

Although the interdependency of supply risks is well-known in chemical production networks, it is difficult to quantify the effects arising from certain sources of uncertainties. This is caused by the complexity of production processes, the interconnectedness of the production network, and the limited capacities of commonly used logistical infrastructures. However, quantitative information is necessary to determine economically reasonable risk management decisions. 

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