Developing a Conceptual Framework for Simulation Analysis in a Supply Chain Based on Common Platform (SCBCP)

Abstract

As a competitive advantage in modern organizations, product diversification may cause complexities in today’s extended supply chains. However, the Common Platform (CP) Strategy, as a concept of gaining maximum variety by minimum production elements, is believed to be one of the answers to eliminate or decrease these complexities. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a simulation framework for modeling the supply network of a case study in automotive industry in order to study the impacts of part commonality through the chain. The electrical wiring harness is selected as the main part to be studied according to essentiality and challenges of its procurement for the production of cars (as occurred in this case and many other studies). The paper does not provide the simulation results but it rather builds up the required foundation and gathers the relevant content to develop a realistic simulation model by closely studying the impacts of part multiplicity on different functional areas of the selected supply network and extracting the critical success factors of applying part commonality.