Principles of dynamic configuration of flexible supply networks based on semantic service composition

In a complex business network finding a supplier can be a very time consuming task. In advanced supply networks like Build-to-Order supply chains, this task should be carried out under time constraints and under uncertainties both in suppliers and in the orders. The technology of semantic service oriented architectures is aimed to support such kind of tasks, enabling construction of self-organizing flexible supply networks. A novel approach to dynamic network members' discovery and selection based on competence profiles included in provided service descriptions is proposed. The approach is grounded in a method for service discovery with incomplete information using query expansion techniques. The approach is illustrated by example from automotive industry.