Reliable and invulnerable supply networks

Structural supply chain characteristics like reliable network structures and supply chain partnership are vital elements for the functionality of supply chains. Dependencies between supply chain partners are formed by the way supply chain partners relate to each other. To really understand these dependencies new approaches may prove useful. After giving a broad overview of supply network representations, that show "traditional" dependencies, partnerships within supply networks are investigated as sources of reliability and invulnerability. Furthermore systems dependency is discussed, where seeing and experiencing the whole picture instead of seeing only your own business is focused on. Next to this hierarchical dependency is discussed, based on the concept of Nearly Decomposable Systems. The final approach discussed is (free-scale) network dependency, discussing supply chains in respect to clusters and networks. Each of these dependency approaches may be evaluated by means of reliability (failure) and robust (vulnerability) both in respect to the type of partnership that can be distinguished