A framework for promoting interoperability in a global electronic market-space

The primary contributions to the area of electronic business integration, propounded by this thesis, are (in no particular order):  A novel examination of global Business-to-Business (B2B) interoperability in terms of a "multiplicity paradox" and of a "global electronic market-space" from a Complex Systems Science perspective.  A framework for an, integrated, global electronic market-space, which is based on a hierarchical, incremental, minimalist-business-pattern approach. A Web Services-SOA forms the basis of application-to-application integration within the framework. The framework is founded in a comprehensive study of existing technologies, standards and models for secure interoperability and the SOA paradigm. The Complex Systems Science concepts of "predictable structure" and "structural complexity" are used consistently throughout the progressive formulation of the framework.  A model for a global message handler (including a standards-based message-format) which obviates the common problems implicit in standard SOAP-RPC. It is formulated around the "standardized, common, abstract application interface" critical success factor, deduced from examining existing models. The model can be used in any collaboration context.  An open standards-based security model for the global message handler. Conceptually, the framework comprises the following:  An interoperable standardized message format: a standardized SOAP-envelope with standardized attachments (8-bit binary MIME-serialized XOP packages).  An interoperable standardized message-delivery infrastructure encompassing an RPC-invoked message-handler - a Web service, operating in synchronous and/or asynchronous mode, which relays attachments to service endpoints.  A business information processing infrastructure comprised of: a standardized generic minimalist-business-pattern (simple buying/selling), comprising global pre-specifications for business processes (for example, placing an order), standardized specific atomic business activities (e.g. completing an order-form), a standardized document-set (including, e.g. an order-form) based on standardized metadata (common nomenclature and common semantics used in XSD's, e.g. the order-form), the standardized corresponding choreography for atomic activities (e.g. acknowledgement of receipt of order-form) and service endpoints (based on standardized programming interfaces and virtual methods with customized implementations).Theoretical ComputingPHD (INFORMATION SYSTEMS

GRID COMPUTING FOR COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

This paper describes the methodology and results of a literature review targeting the distinct interpretations of the Grid Computing paradigm within the context of Collaborative Networks. The review is based on the analysis of contributions published in selected scientific journals between 2002 and today. The analysis was performed taking into account the assumptions, scopes and solutions provided to approach the challenges for SMEs’ collaborative networks. The research questions driving this literature review have been the following: (1) How is the concept of Grid Computing associated with the concept of Collaborative Network? (2) How the Grid computing supports Collaborative Networks? (3) What are the business implications in Grid supported Collaborative Networks

The Semantic Grid: A future e-Science infrastructure

e-Science offers a promising vision of how computer and communication technology can support and enhance the scientific process. It does this by enabling scientists to generate, analyse, share and discuss their insights, experiments and results in an effective manner. The underlying computer infrastructure that provides these facilities is commonly referred to as the Grid. At this time, there are a number of grid applications being developed and there is a whole raft of computer technologies that provide fragments of the necessary functionality. However there is currently a major gap between these endeavours and the vision of e-Science in which there is a high degree of easy-to-use and seamless automation and in which there are flexible collaborations and computations on a global scale. To bridge this practice–aspiration divide, this paper presents a research agenda whose aim is to move from the current state of the art in e-Science infrastructure, to the future infrastructure that is needed to support the full richness of the e-Science vision. Here the future e-Science research infrastructure is termed the Semantic Grid (Semantic Grid to Grid is meant to connote a similar relationship to the one that exists between the Semantic Web and the Web). In particular, we present a conceptual architecture for the Semantic Grid. This architecture adopts a service-oriented perspective in which distinct stakeholders in the scientific process, represented as software agents, provide services to one another, under various service level agreements, in various forms of marketplace. We then focus predominantly on the issues concerned with the way that knowledge is acquired and used in such environments since we believe this is the key differentiator between current grid endeavours and those envisioned for the Semantic Grid

Two Studies on The Use of Information Technology in Collaborative Planning, Forecasting & Replenishment (CPFR)

In the 1st study, I seek to determine whether there are trends in the coverage of the use of Information Technology in CPFR in support of Supply Chain Management. I look at the way technology is studied along two dimensions. The first dimension is the function within CPFR—Planning, Forecasting or Replenishment. The second dimension is level at which the study addresses use of the technology, whether at the Operational, Tactical or Strategic level. Within this 3x3 matrix, I seek to prove that studies would primarily fall along a line where the higher the level functions should be served by systems which have a longer-term orientation. This was broadly true, along with an emphasis on studies at the strategic level. Additionally, I find an underrepresentation of Forecasting, especially at the strategic level. The 2nd study seeks to determine the factors affecting IT system use for CPFR, in the real world. I examine the factors affecting system use along two dimensions. The first is along the company-level dimension. There are 3 points along the company-level dimension, defined as follows. Strategic use is defined as use by upper level management who are interested in the long term view of the organization and its processes and products. The Tactical use of IT for CPFR includes use by middle managers at a departmental level for medium term decision making. Operational level IT use covers functions which directly affect individual customers and keep the business running day to day. The second dimension along which system use is examined, is the functional-dimension. There are 3 points along this dimension and they are defined as follows. Use of IT for Planning, based on the VICS standard, is usually, but not exclusively under the purview of senior managers to determine what products to manufacture and the features they should have. Forecasting is done mainly by middle-managers in order to move enough products at the right time, to the right paces, while avoiding over-stocking each product. The Replenishment function is the actual process of moving items to the customer as they are ordered on-line or bought from the shelf. This is typically the job of operational logistics personnel such as purchasing and, shipping and delivery, as well as front-line staff such as customer service, shop-floor attendants or cashiers who interface directly with customers. In examining real world IT use for CPFR, I build on Simmonds, Haines & Li (2013) which looks at the trends and gaps in the IT literature as far as use of IT in CPFR was concerned. The aim is to determine whether the literature lines up with reality, or whether researchers are inherently biased when studying how Information Technology is used to support CPFR. A survey instrument was sent to 4000 senior managers in manufacturing and distribution companies. IT use along the STO dimension (Haines, Hough, & Haines, 2010) and its relationship with Industry characteristics (clock-speed of the industry and technological orientation) will be investigated in the context of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Fred D. Davis, 1989). Product factors (such as demand variability & luxury nature of the product) which drive IT use (Attaran & Attaran, 2007) along the PFR dimension will be investigated in the context of Technology Task Fit Theory (Goodhue & Thompson, 1995). Intra-firm trust (Frazier, Johnson, Gavin, Gooty, & Bradley Snow, 2010) and its effect on use on the PFR dimension, will be looked at with managerial influence within Innovation Diffusion theory (Rogers, 2010) as a basis. Trust issues including confidence of management in competence of workers and confidence of employees in dependability of IT

A Semantic Approach to Secure Collaborative Inter-Organizational eBusiness Processes (SSCIOBP)

The information supply chain (ISC) involves the exchange, organization, selection, and synthesis of relevant knowledge and information about production, purchase planning, demand forecasting, and inventory among collaborating business partners in a value chain. Information and knowledge sharing in an ISC occurs in a business process context. Seamless knowledge exchange within and across organizations involved in secure business processes is critically needed to secure and cultivate the information supply chain. Extant literature does not explicitly consider or systematically represent component knowledge, process knowledge and security knowledge for business processes within and across organizations. As a result, organizations engaged in collaborative inter-organizational processes continue to be plagued with issues such as semantic conflict issues, lack of integration of heterogeneous systems, and lack of security knowledge regarding authorized access to resources. Without appropriate security controls, manual interventions lead to unauthorized access to resources. These problems motivate our Semantic Approach to Secure Collaborative Inter-Organizational eBusiness Processes (SSCIOBP). We follow a design science paradigm to identify meta-requirements of SSCIOBP and develop the design artifact. SSCIOBP is evaluated using observational and descriptive evaluation methods following Hevner et al. (2004). We apply our approach to show how the Collaborative Planning Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) industry standard models can be enhanced using the proposed design artifact. We apply SSCIOBP to a case study to illustrate its applicability in mapping core business processes of organizations to solve semantic inter-operability issues and systematically incorporate component, process and security knowledge in the design of secure business processes across the information supply chain

Foundations of B2B electronic contracting

Nowadays, flexible electronic cooperation paradigms are required for core business processes to meet the speed and flexibility requirements dictated by fast-changing markets. These paradigms should include the functionality to establish the formal business relationship required by the importance of these core processes. The business relationship should be established in an automated, electronic way in order to match the speed and flexibility requirements mentioned above. As such, it should considerably improve on the ineffectiveness and inefficiency of traditional contracting in this context. The result of the establishment should be a detailed electronic contract that contains a complete specification of the intended cooperation between organizations. Electronic contracts should contain a precise and unambiguous specification of the collaboration at both the conceptual and technological level. Existing commercial software solutions for business-to-business contracting provide low level of automation and concentrate solely on the automated management of the contract enactment. However, in the modern, dynamic, business settings, an econtracting system has to support high automation of the e-contract establishment, enactment, and management. In the thesis, the business, legal, and technological requirements for the development of a highly automated e-contracting system are investigated. Models that satisfy these requirements and that can be used as a foundation for the implementation of an electronic contracting system are defined. First, the thesis presents the business benefits introduced to companies by highly automated electronic contracting. Next, a data and process analysis of electronic contracting is presented. The specification of electronic contracts and the required process support for electronic contract establishment and enactment are investigated. The business benefits and data and process models defined in the thesis are validated on the basis of two business cases from on-line advertising, namely the cases of online advertising in "De Telegraaf" and "Google". Finally, the thesis presents a specification of the functionalities that must be provided by an e-contracting system. A conceptual reference architecture that can be used as a starting point in the design and implementation of an electronic contracting system is defined. The work in the thesis is conducted on the intersection of the scientific areas of conceptual information and process modeling and specification on the one hand and distributed information system architecture modeling on the other hand

Interaction protocols for cross-organisational workflows

Workflow technologies are widely used in industry and commerce to assist in the specification, execution and completion of well defined processes within organisations. As industrial and commercial relations have evolved, based on advances on information and communications technologies, cross-organisational workflow integration has become an important issue. Since organisations can have very different workflows, the creation of compatible workflows so that organisations can collaborate and/or carry out mutual transactions automatically in an integrated fashion can be a very complex and time consuming process. As a consequence, the development of technologies to support the creation and execution of compatible workflows is a most relevant issue. In the present article we introduce the JamSession coordination platform as a tool to implement cross-organisational workflow integration. JamSession is declarative and based on algebraic specification methods, and therefore workflow integration implemented using this platform can profit from formal behavioural analysis, based on which desired features and properties can be verified and/or obtained

Multi Agent Systems in Logistics: A Literature and State-of-the-art Review

Based on a literature survey, we aim to answer our main question: “How should we plan and execute logistics in supply chains that aim to meet today’s requirements, and how can we support such planning and execution using IT?†Today’s requirements in supply chains include inter-organizational collaboration and more responsive and tailored supply to meet specific demand. Enterprise systems fall short in meeting these requirements The focus of planning and execution systems should move towards an inter-enterprise and event-driven mode. Inter-organizational systems may support planning going from supporting information exchange and henceforth enable synchronized planning within the organizations towards the capability to do network planning based on available information throughout the network. We provide a framework for planning systems, constituting a rich landscape of possible configurations, where the centralized and fully decentralized approaches are two extremes. We define and discuss agent based systems and in particular multi agent systems (MAS). We emphasize the issue of the role of MAS coordination architectures, and then explain that transportation is, next to production, an important domain in which MAS can and actually are applied. However, implementation is not widespread and some implementation issues are explored. In this manner, we conclude that planning problems in transportation have characteristics that comply with the specific capabilities of agent systems. In particular, these systems are capable to deal with inter-organizational and event-driven planning settings, hence meeting today’s requirements in supply chain planning and execution.supply chain;MAS;multi agent systems