Strategic Analysis in the Realm of Enterprise Modeling – On the Example of Blockchain-Based Initiatives for the Electricity Sector

This paper continues our previous work on modeling support for strategic analysis, by (1) extending a proposed modeling language for strategic analysis (called SAML), among others, with features proposed by business scholars to increase the expressiveness of the analysis, and (2) relating the extended SAML to a language for IT infrastructure analysis (called ITML). Thus, we explicitly contextualize strategic analyses by accounting for the role and impact of IT infrastructure. A scenario in the electricity industry is used to illustrate the analysis proposed

Satisfying Four Requirements for More Flexible Modeling Methods: Theory and Test Case

Recent research in conceptual modeling and enterprise modeling calls for relaxing common assumptions about the nature of modeling methods and related modeling languages and metamodels. This paper pursues that goal by proposing a new vision of modeling methods that overcomes some of the limitations identified in the literature by satisfying four requirements for more flexible modeling methods. That vision builds upon the integration of multiple modeling techniques that are related to an overarching metaphor. Those techniques may address heterogeneous purposes such as specifying a system’s capabilities or specifying which resources are used by specific activities. This paper presents design characteristics and metamodel design options to guide method engineers in adopting this broader notion of modeling methods, integrating multiple modeling techniques, and using appropriate modeling languages. To demonstrate feasibility, an extended version of the work system method (WSM) is presented in the form of a Work System Modeling Method (WSMM) that encompasses seven purposes of modeling that call for successively more formal approaches. A final section summarizes how WSMM addresses the issues and requirements from the introduction, explains how coherence is maintained within WSMM, and identifies areas for future research, with emphasis on ways to make WSMM and similar modeling methods as valuable as possible

Modeling views in the layered view model for XML using UML

In data engineering, view formalisms are used to provide flexibility to users and user applications by allowing them to extract and elaborate data from the stored data sources. Conversely, since the introduction of Extensible Markup Language (XML), it is fast emerging as the dominant standard for storing, describing, and interchanging data among various web and heterogeneous data sources. In combination with XML Schema, XML provides rich facilities for defining and constraining user-defined data semantics and properties, a feature that is unique to XML. In this context, it is interesting to investigate traditional database features, such as view models and view design techniques for XML. However, traditional view formalisms are strongly coupled to the data language and its syntax, thus it proves to be a difficult task to support views in the case of semi-structured data models. Therefore, in this paper we propose a Layered View Model (LVM) for XML with conceptual and schemata extensions. Here our work is three-fold; first we propose an approach to separate the implementation and conceptual aspects of the views that provides a clear separation of concerns, thus, allowing analysis and design of views to be separated from their implementation. Secondly, we define representations to express and construct these views at the conceptual level. Thirdly, we define a view transformation methodology for XML views in the LVM, which carries out automated transformation to a view schema and a view query expression in an appropriate query language. Also, to validate and apply the LVM concepts, methods and transformations developed, we propose a view-driven application development framework with the flexibility to develop web and database applications for XML, at varying levels of abstraction

Using Conceptual Modeling for Designing Multi-View Modeling Tools

Multi-view modeling methods (MVMM) can cope with the increasing complexity of today\u27s enterprise and information systems by decomposing the corresponding model into several viewpoints. The combination of the instantiated views gives the whole model of the system. Modeling tools are vital for efficient utilization of MVMMs. However, sufficient support in the conceptual design of multi-view modeling tools is not given. The paper at hand introduces the MuVieMoT modeling method, dedicated towards the conceptualization of multi-view modeling tools. The method is focused on how to capture, with conceptual modeling means, the constituents of MVMMs, in terms of viewpoints, modeling procedure and consistency mechanisms specification. The method is aimed at method engineers and tool developers, bridging the gap between tool design and tool development. Applicability of the method is illustrated by a case study, hereby defining the conceptual design of a multi-view modeling tool for an enterprise modeling method

A model based approach for complex dynamic decision-making

Current state-of-the-practice and state-of-the-art of decision-making aids are inadequate for modern organisations that deal with significant uncertainty and business dynamism. This paper highlights the limitations of prevalent decision-making aids and proposes a model-based approach that advances the modelling abstraction and analysis machinery for complex dynamic decision-making. In particular, this paper proposes a meta-model to comprehensively represent organisation, establishes the relevance of model-based simulation technique as analysis means, introduces the advancements over actor technology to address analysis needs, and proposes a method to utilise proposed modelling abstraction, analysis technique, and analysis machinery in an effective and convenient manner. The proposed approach is illustrated using a near real-life case-study from a business process outsourcing organisation

Conceptual modeling for the design of intelligent and emergent information systems

A key requirement to today's fast changing economic environment is the ability of organizations to adapt dynamically in an effective and efficient manner. Information and Communication Technologies play a crucially important role in addressing such adaptation requirements. The notion of `intelligent software' has emerged as a means by which enterprises can respond to changes in a reactive manner but also to explore, in a pro-active manner, possibilities for new business models. The development of such software systems demands analysis, design and implementation paradigms that recognize the need for ‘co-development’ of these systems with enterprise goals, processes and capabilities. The work presented in this paper is motivated by this need and to this end it proposes a paradigm that recognizes co-development as a knowledge-based activity. The proposed solution is based on a multi-perspective modeling approach that involves (i) modeling key aspects of the enterprise, (ii) reasoning about design choices and (iii) supporting strategic decision-making through simulations. The utility of the approach is demonstrated though a case study in the field of marketing for a start-up company