distributor
IRI: https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/construct/Distributor
Defined In: https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/supplychain/SupplyChain/
SubClass Of: agent
Class Hierarchy
owl:Thing › bfo:entity › bfo:continuant › bfo:independent continuant › bfo:material entity › agent › distributor
Definition
person or business organization when it purchases products from manufacturers and resells them to wholesalers
Semi-Formal Definition:
every instance of ‘distributor’ is defined as exactly an instance of is a ‘person’ or ‘business organization’ that ‘has role’ some ‘distributor role’
Explanatory Notes
1- A business and industry which acts as a third party local representative and distribution point for a manufacturing firm. These firms may perform some light assembly or kitting of goods, but generally provides a buffer for finished goods [CSCMP].
2- Distributors typically purchase the goods in quantity from the manufacturer and ship to customers in smaller quantities [CSCMP].
3- A business that does not manufacture its own products, but purchases and resells these products. Such a business usually maintains a finished goods inventory [APICS].
See the expanded definition under the corresponding role class. The term is formalized here as a defined class by referring to its corresponding role class and exists primarily for ontological modeling and implementation convenience.
Examples
- Grainger is a distributor when it buys HVAC units and parts from manufacturers and sells them to wholesalers
Formal Axioms
First-Order Logic Definition
Distributor(x) ↔ (BusinessOrganization(x) ∨ Person(x)) ∧ ∃r(DistributorRole(r) ∧ hasRole(x,r))
Description Logic
constr:Distributor ≡ (constr:BusinessOrganization ⊔ constr:Person) ⊓ ∃ constr:hasRole .constr:DistributorRole
EquivalentTo: (constr:BusinessOrganization or constr:Person) and constr:hasRole some constr:DistributorRole
SubClassOf: constr:Agent