Patent ID: 7957991

Claim:
A method carried out by a computerized framework manager to supply collaborative planning comprising: furnishing connections to a network for use by a plurality of business entities, wherein the plurality of business entities comprise at least one of service providers, vendors, resellers, and manufacturers; receiving information via the network from a first business entity of the plurality of business entities, including information relating to a demand of the first business entity for offerings; receiving information via the network from a second business entity of the plurality of business entities, including information relating to a first supply of offerings from the second business entity; receiving information via the network from a third business entity of the plurality of business entities, including information relating to a second supply of offerings from the third business entity; comparing the first supply, the second supply, and the demand for the offerings to plan future supply and demand for the offerings; selecting a supplier from a group consisting of the second business entity and the third business entity based on a result of the comparing; and using the network to facilitate planning between the first business entity and the supplier selected, wherein selecting a supplier includes: receiving information via the network from at least one of the first business entity and the second business entity, including information relating to a first amount of orders placed by the first business entity with the second business entity; receiving information via the network from at least one of the first business entity and the third business entity, including information relating to a second amount of orders placed by the first business entity with the third business entity; comparing, by a processor, the first amount of orders with the second amount of orders; selecting the second business entity as the supplier if the first amount of orders is less than the second amount of orders; and selecting the third business entity as the supplier if the first amount of orders is greater than the second amount of orders.