Abstract
The paper aims to find the relationship between conventional reliability and supply chain reliability, and introduce and adapt conventional reliability models to the field of supply chains, expanding the horizon of solving supply chain reliability problems. Based on a comprehensive literature review, the paper summarizes definitions of reliability in supply chain systems and presents reliability system structures and reliability indexes for supply chains. Relationship and differences between conventional reliability and supply chain reliability are shown. Illustrative examples such as the supply chain reliability problem in China are provided to show how to convert a supply chain reliability problem into a conventional reliability problem and then solve it using reliability techniques in conventional reliability.