Evolution and Deployment of Distributed Optimization and Multi-Agent Systems in Modern Supply Chains

This review examines the evolution and practical deployment of distributed optimization and multi-agent systems within contemporary supply chain networks. We survey five influential papers at the intersection of operations research, computer science, and logistics, emphasizing algorithmic innovations, robustness to real-world disturbances, and the transition from theory to practice. Our analysis highlights the importance of asynchrony, communication efficiency, and adaptability in modern supply chain environments. A comparative table synthesizes the main features of each approach, and the review concludes with a discussion of open challenges and emerging research directions.