142 Int. J. Electronic Business, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2012 Copyright © 2012 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. A knowledge-based system for supply chain process modelling, reuse, and redesign Kai Li* Department of Industrial Engineering, Nankai University, 94, Weijin Rd., Tianjin, 300071, China Fax: +86-22-66229207 E-mail: likai@nankai.edu.cn *Corresponding author Jianyuan Yan Business School, Nankai University, 94, Weijin Rd., Tianjin, 300071, China Fax: +86-22-23505009 E-mail: nkyan5559@yahoo.com.cn Zhangxi Lin Centre for Advanced Analytics and Business Intelligence, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, 79409, TX, USA E-mail: zhangxi.lin@ttu.edu Abstract: Modern competition requires quick response from the supply chain. Supply chain process reengineering is becoming more and more important. However, ways to manage and optimise supply chain processes are still a big challenge to most companies. In this research, a knowledge-based system is proposed for supply chain process modelling, reuse, and redesign. It uses grammatical modelling method to build supply chain process models. Furthermore, it can transform graphic supply chain process models to well-structured XML data based on the corresponding process definition language. Therefore, supply chain processes can be stored, searched, and evaluated in the system. Additionally, a case of a sample supply chain process is built in the system to demonstrate the operation of the system. Keywords: supply chain process; grammatical modelling; knowledge base; process definition language. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Li, K., Yan, J. and Lin, Z. (2012) ‘A knowledge-based system for supply chain process modelling, reuse, and redesign’, Int. J. Electronic Business, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp.142–166.