VirtES (Virtual Enterprise Simulator): A proposed methodology for enterprise simulation modeling

Abstract

In this paper a methodology to develop simulation models is presented. The methodology is based on a multi-level simulation model which allows flexibility and process analysis. The present work starts from applied researches in different SME enterprises. Enterprise management often needs easy and fast developed tools to increase production capacity and flexibility. In many cases performances increase is possible only adopting a BPR (business processes reengineering) approach. Nevertheless the resistance to a BPR approach is underlined in recent bibliography. The proposed approach consists of a three stages methodology, named VirtES (Virtual Enterprise Simulator). VirtES methodology was first applied to ceramic tiles enterprises. The results achieved encourage the adoption to other industrial field. © 2010 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.