Introduction to Operations and Supply Chain Simulation with AnyLogic
Abstract
This textbook explains the fundamentals of business process and supply chain simulation using AnyLogic multimethod simulation software. It teaches core concepts of process analysis and supply chain management through simulation models, while also demonstrating how simulation modeling works. The book avoids heavy statistics and mathematics, focusing instead on practical managerial decision-making.
The content is divided into four parts, each following the same structure:
- Introducing a real-world case study.
- Developing the technical models.
- Providing step-by-step instructions for building AnyLogic simulation models and designing KPI dashboards.
- Applying the models in classroom games and decision-making scenarios.
- Presenting ideas for further extensions, assignments, or advanced exploration.
The textbook is designed for bachelor’s and master’s students studying supply chain and operations management, as well as their instructors. By the end, readers will know how to build their own simulation models in AnyLogic, understand key concepts in operations and supply chain management, and apply performance metrics to support managerial decisions.
About the authors
Dr. Dmitry Ivanov is a Professor of Supply Chain and Operations Management at HWR Berlin, Academic Director of the MA Global Supply Chain program, and a leading researcher in supply chain resilience, digital twins, and the ripple effect, with over 150 publications.
William P. Millhiser is an Associate Professor of Operations Management at Baruch College who teaches MBA and BBA courses in operations and decision analytics and specializes in stochastic modeling and queueing system optimization.
Phu Nguyen is a Research Associate at HWR Berlin whose work focuses on improving supply chain resilience and viability through simulation and machine learning, supported by experience at major manufacturing companies like Intel and Decathlon.