Method and system for multi-enterprise optimization using flexible trade contracts
A method of multi-enterprise optimization at a buyer computer includes accessing a forecasted demand for at least one item and generating one or more proposed flexible trade contracts using the forecasted demand for the item. The proposed flexible trade contract is communicated to a seller computer and subsequently executed after acceptance of the proposed flexible trade contract at the seller computer to create a flexible trade contract. Each proposed flexible trade contract may be a forward contract, an option contract, or a flexible forward contract.
1. A system of optimizing supply chain activities between a plurality of enterprises, the system comprising:
a first enterprise of the plurality of enterprises, the first enterprise comprising a first computer system configured to:
access a forecasted demand of at least one item at the first enterprise;
automatically and without user input subsequent to accessing the forecasted demand, generate one or more flexible trade contracts using the forecasted demand of the at least one item; and
automatically and without user input subsequent to generating the flexible trade contracts, communicate each of the one or more flexible trade contracts with the plurality of enterprises; and
a second enterprise of the plurality of enterprises, the second enterprise comprising a second computer system configured to:
automatically and without user input subsequent to accessing the forecasted demand, receive the one or more flexible trade contracts from the plurality of enterprises; and
automatically and without user input subsequent to communicating the flexible trade contracts, store each of the one or more flexible trade contracts at the second enterprise.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more flexible trade contracts comprise at least one forward contract.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more flexible trade contracts comprise at least one option contract.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more flexible trade contracts comprise at least one flexible forward contract.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein each flexible forward contract comprises one or more subcontracts.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more subcontracts comprises an option, wherein each option comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:
a range of quantities for one item;
a range of quantities for one item type; and
a range of quantities for one location where the item must be provided.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first enterprise comprises a first enterprise product information file that stores product information related to products associated with the first enterprise.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second enterprise comprises a second enterprise product information file that stores product information related to products associated with the second enterprise.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first enterprise comprises a first enterprise aggregation module that temporarily reaggregates first enterprise product information file to be consistent with second enterprise product information file.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second enterprise comprises a second enterprise aggregation module that temporarily reaggregates second enterprise product information file to be consistent with first enterprise product information file.
11. A computer-implemented method of optimizing supply chain activities between a plurality of enterprises, the method comprising:
accessing by a computer, a forecasted demand of at least one item at a first enterprise of the plurality of enterprises;
automatically and without user input subsequent to accessing the forecasted demand, generating by the computer, one or more proposed flexible trade contracts using the forecasted demand of the at least one item;
automatically and without user input subsequent to generating the proposed flexible trade contracts, communicating by the computer, each of the one or more proposed flexible trade contracts to a second enterprise of the plurality of enterprises; and
automatically and without user input subsequent to communicating the proposed flexible trade contracts, storing by a computer, each of the one or more proposed flexible trade contracts at the second enterprise of the plurality of enterprises.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forecasted demand is a fixed forecasted demand.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forecasted demand is a range of forecasted demand.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining an option price associated with the range of forecasted demand.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a forecasted supply capacity of the at least one item at a second enterprise of the plurality of enterprises.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
generating one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts using the forecasted capacity of the at least one item.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
communicating each of the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts to the first enterprise of the plurality of enterprises.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein if the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts are acceptable to the first enterprise of the plurality of enterprises, execute the one or more acceptable alternate proposed flexible trade contracts.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein if the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts are not acceptable to the first enterprise of the plurality of enterprises, execute a series of rounds with the second enterprise in which the first enterprise and the second enterprise successively propose one or more further counter-modifications to the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts for possible acceptance to create one or more flexible trade contracts based on the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts.
20. A computer-readable medium having encoded theron software to optimize supply chain activities between a plurality of enterprises, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions to:
access a forecasted demand of at least one item at a first enterprise of the plurality of enterprises;
automatically and without user input subsequent to accessing the forecasted demand, generate one or more proposed flexible trade contracts using the forecasted demand of the at least one item;
automatically and without user input subsequent to generating the proposed flexible trade contracts, communicate each of the one or more proposed flexible trade contracts to a second enterprise of the plurality of enterprises; and
automatically and without user input subsequent to communicating the proposed flexible trade contracts, store each of the one or more proposed flexible trade contracts at the second enterprise of the plurality of enterprises.
21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the forecasted demand is a fixed forecasted demand.
22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the forecasted demand is a range of forecasted demand.
23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 , further comprising instructions to:
determine an option price associated with the range of forecasted demand.
24. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 , further comprising instructions to:
determine a forecasted supply capacity of the at least one item at a second enterprise of the plurality of enterprises.
25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 , further comprising instructions to:
generate one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts using the forecasted capacity of the at least one item.
26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 , further comprising instructions to:
communicate each of the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts to the first enterprise of the plurality of enterprises.
27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein if the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts are acceptable to the first enterprise of the plurality of enterprises, further comprising instructions to execute the one or more acceptable alternate proposed flexible trade contracts.
28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein if the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts are not acceptable to the first enterprise of the plurality of enterprises, further comprising instructions to execute a series of rounds with the second enterprise in which the first enterprise and the second enterprise successively propose one or more further counter-modifications to the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts for possible acceptance to create one or more flexible trade contracts based on the one or more alternate proposed flexible trade contracts.