Minitrack Introduction

Information technology (IT) is a prerequisite for successful supply chain management today and will become even more so in near future. While IT systems are vital components in supply chains, their successful management rests on coordinated decision making throughout the logistics network. Data warehouses and data mining can be used to store and analyze product, inventory, and sales information. Simulation and optimization can be employed for, e.g., inventory, production, procurement, and distribution planning. Intelligent agents can, e.g., communicate with different partners in the supply chain, assist in collecting information, share product information, negotiate prices, and distribute alerts throughout logistics networks.