IEEE ICAL 2009 Plenary Talk

IEEE ICAL 2009 Plenary Talk #3

Supernetwork and its Applications

Abstract

In this presentation a new concept “Supernetwork” and its applications are introduced. Supernetwork can be referred as Network of networks and has the following features:
        - Multi-tiered
        - Multi-level
        - Multi-mode network flows
        - Congestion
        - Alternative behavior of users of the network
        - Multi-criteria
        - Conflict between user’s optimization and system optimization

Concept of supernetwork has a wide range of applications and only a small part of those applications has been explored thus far. Some specific applications of supernetworks are: supernetworks consisting of social networks interacting with supply chain networks, supernetworks consisting of social networks interacting with financial networks, and knowledge supernetworks.

This framework captures the different interacting networks in one model. It allows one to compute optimal solutions under different scenarios and to test how the equilibrium will change when certain cost and benefit functions are changed. Application areas of supernetwork models:
        - Telecommuting/Commuting Decision-Making
        - Teleshopping/Shopping Decision-Making
        - Supply Chain Networks with Electronic Commerce
        - Financial Networks with Electronic Transactions
        - Reverse Supply Chains with E-Cycling
        - Energy Networks/Power Grids
        - Knowledge Networks

Biography

Zhongtuo Wang is the professor of School of Management, Dalian University of Technology (DUT), head of the PhD Program of Systems Engineering, director of Research Center of Knowledge Science and Technology, DUT. He is the member of Chinese Academy of Engineering. He was the vice-president of Systems Engineering Society of China. In fifties of last century, he joined the department of Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology. As the founder of Department of Control Engineering of DUT, he made a lot of contributions to the teaching and research works in the field of Optimizing control and Computer applications. In the year of 1977, he moved to the area of Systems Engineering. As one of the originators of PhD Program and research works of Systems Engineering in China and founder of Institute of Systems Engineering DUT, he devoted himself to the task of theoretical research in decision analysis, complex adaptive system and network optimization. As a leader he has organized a lot of projects of applying methodology and techniques of Systems Engineering to the Chinese economic and engineering endeavors, including the strategic analysis of regional economic development, production planning of the petroleum refinery, planning and scheduling of the construction projects, and impact of information technology to the management transformation. At the same time, he organized the education task of MS and PhD program of Systems Engineering and Management Science in DUT. In the years 1986-1988, He worked in International lnstitute for Applied Systems Analysis (lIASA) in Vienna, Anstria as research scholar and head of international collaborative project and known internationally for his contribution. He has published 10 books and 9 translations and more than 170 papers and reports. He received 2 national awards, 9 awards from ministries of Chinese government. He is now working in Knowledge Management and Technological Innovation.