A new technology paradigm for collaboration in the supply chain

‘Just‐in‐case inventory’ is one of the traditional methods of reducing uncertainty in business. The unfortunate consequence of this approach is the bullwhip effect. An alternative approach is some form of collaborative scenario. Unfortunately, neither approach guarantees optimisation across the supply chain. The fundamental reason for this is found in the rational behaviour that participants in the process adhere to. As it is impossible to suppress rational behaviour, a solution for this problem is sought through orchestration and rigorous implementation of the Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) process. A technology framework that promises to facilitate this objective is a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) based on web services. However a new paradigm, more suited to collaborative business scenarios, is needed. Pi‐calculus, coupled with business process modelling and web services, seem to offer a solution. This paper sketches the direction for future research.