Abstract The foundational formulation of supply chain viability in intertwined supply networks (ISN) is based on a dynamic game-theoretic modelling of a biological prey-predator system (i.e., the trophic chain) with associated viability kernel computation. However, two important aspects–network structural dynamics and decentralized coordination–have not been considered. In this study, we close this research gap by extending the foundational model in two ways. First, we extend the general viability model analytically through a control-theoretic lens, explicitly accounting for structural dynamics control. Second, we introduce a multi-agent system (MAS) grounded in the differential game of the foundational model and demonstrate, both conceptually and numerically, how viability is quantified at the agent level. Conceptually, the MAS serves as a micro-foundation for viability theory, translating abstract set-valued dynamics into agent-level decision processes. This allows to connect two major determinants of supply chain viability, i.e., engineered variety (control model) and emergent adaptive behaviors (agent-based model). In addition, we introduce time-to-exit-viability as a performance metric to quantify the conditions under which a network fails while preserving viability. The proposed formulations enable analysis of how decentralized decisions affect supply chain viability, the role of network structure in sustaining survivability, and coordination failures and resulting viability losses. In particular, we show that the viability kernel characterizes potential survivability and does not necessarily guarantee viability under non-coordinated decision-making.
Dmitry Ivanov (Thu,) studied this question.