ResiKomp: Strengthening Resilience for Value Networks through Competence Depots

Especially in the automotive, IT/semiconductor, and smart infrastructure sectors, supply bottlenecks, natural disasters, political instability, or pandemics can lead to the complete collapse of value networks. To date, there has been no ability to quickly and flexibly utilize critical competencies that are needed at short notice in crisis situations. When maritime traffic is disrupted, for example, competencies for changing transport routes or expertise in negotiating emergency contracts are needed.

The project aims to develop solutions for bundling competencies within the network with other actors. By acquiring the necessary competencies through digital competency depots, resilience in value networks is increased. Competence repositories are digital contact points for companies to identify critical industry-specific competencies and, for example, to simulate crisis scenarios and their potential impacts using AI algorithms.

Resilient production – e.g., through shared buffer and storage strategies within a value network – is intended to enable a flexible response to changes and help bridge short-term supply bottlenecks. The networking of systems and data exchange are intended to create dynamic, self-organizing, cross-company structures that are optimized according to various criteria. This requires the creation of appropriate evaluation schemes, which require improved data utilization and trustworthy data exchange to counteract these risks with appropriate measures.

To ensure trustworthiness by ensuring the integrity and authenticity of the exchanged electronic information while simultaneously protecting intellectual property and confidential information, Wibu-Systems will further develop the Chain of Trust process and expand it into a dynamic network. The scientific and technical project objective is the prototype development of a system for secure data exchange in production between changing participants in value networks. To ensure smooth data exchange between different companies, this system must be highly compatible and flexible enough to handle changing participants and changing requirements within the value network. At the same time, it must be ensured that the respective companies (network participants) retain control over their data. Compliance with data protection regulations and other legal requirements must be guaranteed.

To achieve the core objective (strengthening resilience in production), Wibu-Systems assumes a user role in this project, within which requirements and critical competencies are to be captured. Based on the findings from the application scenarios, Wibu-Systems will test approaches for expanding the planned IT system to simulate modeled crisis scenarios and select suitable assessment and methodological approaches.

Wibu-Systems is also involved in the project as a development partner. The scientific and technical project objective is the prototype development of an IT system for secure data exchange in production between dynamically changing participants in value creation networks. This system will initially be implemented and tested internally at Wibu-Systems as part of the project. Wibu-Systems hopes that improved data exchange and AI support will increase production resilience and enable better response to disruptions (internal utilization).