Supply Chain Network Sub-network Extraction for Choke Point Identification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional supply chain management techniques are limited in their ability to analyze complex supply chains and are not applicable to general-purpose analysis, as they focus on specific target companies and struggle to identify companies of special interest, such as those with controversial ESG standards or choke points, within the supply chain network.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system and method that acquires a supply chain network based on open information, allowing for the selection of a company of interest and extraction of upstream and downstream sub-networks, identification of companies meeting specific conditions, and presentation of information about these companies, enabling comprehensive analysis and recognition of potential issues within the supply chain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional supply chain analysis techniques are used, then analysis can be performed on specific target companies, but the techniques are not applicable to general-purpose analysis and cannot identify companies of special interest in complex supply chains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex supply chain network into manageable sub-networks centered around each company of interest. By dividing the overall network into smaller, focused sub-networks, the system can perform detailed analysis on specific companies while maintaining the ability to handle general-purpose analysis across the entire supply chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an information processing system as an intermediary that automatically extracts and analyzes supply chain relationships from open information. This intermediary handles the complexity of navigating large supply chain networks, enabling both specific target company analysis and general-purpose analysis without requiring users to manually manage the complexity.
2Loss of information
If the entire supply chain network is analyzed, then comprehensive information is obtained, but it becomes difficult to identify specific companies of special interest such as choke points or those with controversial ESG standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts sub-networks containing companies of special interest from the overall supply chain network. By taking out and isolating specific companies that meet predetermined conditions (such as choke points or controversial ESG standards), the system maintains complete information about the entire supply chain while making it easy to identify and analyze specific companies of interest.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating sub-networks with specific focus on companies of special interest while maintaining the broader context of the entire supply chain. Each sub-network is tailored to highlight relevant information about specific companies, allowing detailed analysis of local areas of interest without losing the global perspective.
3Measurement precision
If manual analysis of supply chain relationships is performed, then detailed information can be obtained, but the process is time-consuming and cannot keep pace with dynamic supply chain changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the information processing system to automatically acquire supply chain information from open sources, extract sub-networks, and identify companies of special interest without requiring manual intervention. This automated approach maintains detailed analysis capabilities while dramatically reducing the time required compared to manual analysis methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-acquiring and storing supply chain information from open sources before analysis is needed. This allows the system to quickly extract and analyze sub-networks on demand, providing detailed information rapidly without requiring time-consuming manual data collection each time analysis is needed.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing system includes: a supply chain network acquisition section configured to acquire a supply chain network, in which a plurality of nodes corresponding to a plurality of companies are linked based on open information; an input receiving section configured to receive a selection operation of selecting any of the plurality of companies as a company of interest; a sub-network extraction section configured to perform a process of extracting, from the supply chain network, a sub-network including either one or both of an upstream sub-network and a downstream sub-network; a company-of-special-interest identifying section configured to identify a company of special interest that meets a given condition in the sub-network; and a presentation processing section configured to perform a process of presenting information on the company of special interest.