Design of an adaptable logistics workflow management system for e-business

Owing to the rapid development of information technology, there is a growing interest in e-commerce and trading on the internet. However, the downturns of e-business in recent years have indicated that the supply chain dimension of e-business has not received the attention it deserves. If the basic logistics performance is not assured, the advanced technologies and well-defined business infrastructures of e-business applications will never save an e-company; the company will not make profit without the physical support for the concepts behind the virtual store. To meet the existing turbulent and volatile global and virtual marketplace, it is necessary for the supply chain network to equip itself with some degree of flexibility and ability to adapt to unforeseeable changes in the market. This paper focuses on the supply chain and logistics dimensions of e-business and suggests practical approaches and models to avoid their poor management, thereby improving productivity and cost-effectiveness to support the virtual stores.