Demand Chain Management

This book deals with the demand management process of permanent, complex cooperative partnerships. These so-called demand chains consist of a chain of independent companies, which have decided to enter into long-term cooperation beyond their markets. The success of this kind of organisation is mainly due to the fact that customer demand for the goods produced is actively influenced by the companies, since otherwise minor demand fluctuations at one stage lead to severe problems at the higher stages of the demand chain. Simulation experiments are used to determine when and under which conditions measures to stabilise demand, such as a discount or subscription policy, will decisively improve the performance of the entire chain.