Network compatibility blocs as basis of partner's selection

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to contribute to partner's network design beyond the common partner's selection process usually made in the literature. The originality of our approach lies in compatibility concept that comes to consolidate the ordinary approach of partner's selection. We suggest the use of product architecture to extract its related network of partners that would be analyzed with paying attention not only to the efficiency of each required partner within the network, but also to its compatibility with other actors. The gBOMO (generalised Bill Of Materials and Operations) concept becomes significant tool that we intensively use in order to detect the imperatives of realization phase of manufactured product. We will develop exploratory ideas about the network compatibility blocs. These ideas allow a better understanding of partner's compatibility requirements within network. © 2010 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.