Suchergebnisse

Agent-based modeling has become a common and well-established tool in the social sciences and certain of the humanities. Here, we aim to provide an overview of the different modeling approaches in current use. Our discussion unfolds in two parts: we first classify different aspects of the model-building process and identify a number of characteristics shared by most agent-based models in the humanities and social sciences; then we map relevant differences between the various modeling approaches. We classify these into different dimensions including the type of target systems addressed, the intended modeling goals, and the models' degree of abstraction. Along the way, we provide reference to related debates in contemporary philosophy of science.

PurposeThis paper reviews and classifies research connecting supply chain risk management (SCRM) and information technology (IT) and derives a structured proposal for fruitful research directions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a systematic literature review of the interplay of SCRM and IT, drawing from major journals in the relevant fields. These findings are enriched by experiences from a three-year international research project.FindingsCurrent research focuses on the role of IT for risk reduction, rather than for risk identification, analysis and monitoring. While much research has investigated operational supply chain risk, fewer insights into disruption risk are available. There is little research on the role of IT in SCRM beyond its potential to enhance information sharing among supply chain partners. To address these gaps, the paper proposes a two-dimensional framework to categorize IT potential for SCRM according to the source and impact of disruption risk on physical supply chain flows, which suggests promising directions for future research.Originality/valueThe paper offers a systematic review to further our understanding of the relationship of SCRM and IT. In addition, it presents and discusses nine areas for further research aimed at mitigating the gaps identified at the intersection of SCRM and IT.

Gegenwärtig wird soziale Netzwerkforschung aus den vielfältigsten Perspektiven und in den unterschiedlichsten Disziplinen betrieben. Dabei divergieren die Fragestellungen und Annahmen, sowie die methodischen Vorgehensweisen zum Teil deutlich. Die elf Beiträge dieses Symposiums umreißen aus ganz unterschiedlichen Fächern und Richtungen ihre Sichtweise auf Netzwerkforschung: Soziologie, Politikwissenschaft, Ethnologie, Geographie, Stadtforschung, Erziehungswissenschaft, Wirtschaftsinformatik und Computerlinguistik. Sie zeigen einerseits aktuelle Trends in der sozialen Netzwerkforschung auf und leuchten andererseits neben der disziplinären Pluralität auch die methodische und epistemologische Vielfalt der Forschung zu Netzwerken aus. Das Symposium hat seinen Ausgangspunkt in der Initiative Netzwerkforschung interdisziplinär. Diese will Vorteile wie Herausforderungen interdisziplinärer oder auch transdisziplinärer Netzwerkforschung diskutieren und entsprechende Kooperationen unterstützen. Social network research is currently pursued from a wide variety of perspectives and by very different disciplines. The assumptions and research questions, but also the methods deployed diverge considerably. This symposium comprises eleven contributions that sketch the approaches from different disciplines and directions: sociology, political science, anthropology, geography, urban research, education, computer science, and computer linguistics. They point to current trends in network research, as well as shedding light on the variety of disciplines, methods, and epistemological positions involved. The symposium springs from the Initiative Interdisciplinary Network Research. The initiative aims at discussing the advantages and challenges of network research between the disciplines, and at encouraging and supporting cooperation bridging these divides.