Today, the short product life cycle combined with uncertain demand makes flow management more complex while lengthening the supply chain. This requires that new constraints must be taken into account in the management system for information, product and financial flows. Some companies have initiated production to order program, others have made upstream and/or downstream integration, and some have relocated or even outsourced to benefit from economies of scale and expertise.
All these strategies have not only brought added value to their initiators but also generated difficulties in their management. While the objective remains to adapt to a highly changing and demanding environment, the consequences of deployment of each strategy are potential source of risks. These risks related to the loss of control, flexibility, comply with the requirements of quality, costs and deadlines, either the distortion of information due to agents opportunism.