Triplex-network design for research of supply chain reliability

The purpose of this paper was to explore a research design, which can integrate knowledge in multi-discipline into triplex-network architecture, for the development of systematic Supply Chain Reliability (SCR) theory. Through analysis of the emergence of triplex-network in supply chains, triplex-network-based evaluation model of SCR was proposed and a numerical example was provided. The dynamic interactions of various entities involved in a supply chain lead to their relation emerging as interactive triplex-network in higher level and further lead to the supply chain emerging as a complex societal-techno interactive system in even higher level. Therefore, hierarchical conceptual architecture and triplex-network analysis are significant for the development of SCR theory. SCR was considered as a unification of fuzzy and random meaning in dynamic environment in this paper. Furthermore, intrinsic relationship between the theoretical foundation of SCR evaluation and the cloud theory was discovered and accordingly, cloud theory is applied to study the evaluation of SCR. Multi-disciplinary meta-synthesis research method presented in this paper will bring inspiration to multi-disciplinary reliability-related researches. This work contributed to the understanding and evaluation of SCR and has important implication as for the need to incorporate various entities and networks into the collaborative management process of supply chains to reduce disruption risks. This work will provide valuable insight to academicians and business professionals.