Considering Structural Properties of Inter-organizational Network Fragments during Business-IT Alignment

Value exchange models can be used to reason about possible networked business constellations. Such inter-organizational business settings are determined in most cases solely from a financial point of view, i.e. by assessing the economic sustainability of the constellation. In this paper we discuss also other criteria that are relevant and should additionally be considered, namely the structural properties of the inter-organizational constellation itself. The multitude of possible interorganizational business constellations – and underlying systems constellations respectively – makes it a necessary requirement to split such constellations into recurring structural patterns, which we call fragments. The structural properties are helping the designer to reason about quality related issues of the inter-organizational network, and may have an influence on design choices to be made. The paper suggests to design new e-business constellations not only on the basis of financial criteria, but to consider also quality issues of the inter-organizational network

Formalization of the partnering structure for networked businesses

Rapidly changing market demands and increasing competitive pressure cause many businesses implement changes to the way they conduct business. One of these changes is the decision to collaborate with other businesses, forming what we call a 'networked business'. Networked businesses are formed by different organizations working together to reach a common goal. For the participating organizations in a networked business to be able to promptly react to their customers' needs, they must set up as cornerstone a well-defined collaborative partnering structure. In this report we discuss the partnering structure of networked businesses and present a framework for its formalization. Using a case study, we illustrate that existing approaches for value modeling, roles specification, and responsibilities definition can be used successfully if employed in a unifying way to address this structure concept

A Survey on Economic-driven Evaluations of Information Technology

The economic-driven evaluation of information technology (IT) has become an important instrument in the management of IT projects. Numerous approaches have been developed to quantify the costs of an IT investment and its assumed profit, to evaluate its impact on business process performance, and to analyze the role of IT regarding the achievement of enterprise objectives. This paper discusses approaches for evaluating IT from an economic-driven perspective. Our comparison is based on a framework distinguishing between classification criteria and evaluation criteria. The former allow for the categorization of evaluation approaches based on their similarities and differences. The latter, by contrast, represent attributes that allow to evaluate the discussed approaches. Finally, we give an example of a typical economic-driven IT evaluation

Microstates of a Neutral Black Hole in M Theory

We consider vacuum solutions in M theory of the form of a five-dimensional Kaluza-Klein black hole cross T^6. In a certain limit, these include the five-dimensional neutral rotating black hole (cross T^6). From a IIA standpoint, these solutions carry D0 and D6 charges. We show that there is a weakly coupled D-brane description which precisely reproduces the Hawking-Bekenstein entropy in the extremal limit, even though supersymmetry is completely broken.Comment: 11 pages. v2: microstate counting extended to generic angular moment

Value-Based Requirements Engineering and IS Architecture Design Support for Cross-Organizational Environments

The aim of this research is to develop new techniques for the design support of cross-organizational software systems to provide information system (IS )services to the business. The non-existence of an information systems planning methodology that considers a value model makes it a challenge to relate IS architecture decisions to value-based requirements. Therefore current IS planning practices have to be enhanced for two major points: (a) consideration of value-based requirements and (b) quantitative and cost-driven support for evaluating architectural alternatives

Challenges and Solutions in Planning Information Systems for Networked Value Constellations

Nowadays businesses often decide to form networked value constellations in order to satisfy complex customer needs. To fulfill the value-based requirements of an e-Business idea and to realize the coordination of such a multi-actor network an adequate underlying information systems architecture has to be conceptualized. This paper discusses the applicability of classical information system planning approaches, such as Information Engineering to cross-organizational settings expressed through value-based requirements. On the basis of this analysis several requirements for the enhancement and adaptation of Information Engineering-like methodologies for e-Business ideas are defined for the purpose of enabling alignment between a value-based business context and the information systems architecture in a networked environment. The paper proposes a way to derive data-orientation from value-orientation, i.e. an enterprise model from a value model. This in turn enables afterwards the straightforward use of traditional data-oriented techniques for value-based business models

Value-based partnering structure design for networked businesses: A multi-method approach

The organizational practices required by dynamic market demands and increasing competitive markets include the formation of networked businesses. For the participants in a networked business to be able to promptly react to customers' needs, they must set up as cornerstone a well-defined collaborative partnering structure. This paper first describes a framework that assists in the design of networked businesses. Then it discusses some approaches, such as object-oriented modeling, multi-agent modeling, and the use of ontological modeling as tools for designing networked businesses. However, these tools have fundamental shortcomings when dealing with the partnering structure concept. The paper proposes a new multimethod approach for the formalization of such a structure. Using an example, we illustrate that existing approaches for value modeling, roles specification, and responsibilities definition can be used successfully if employed in a unifying way to address this structure concept

Scratching the surface: Biogeochemical consequences of faunal species loss in coastal sediments.

One of the most important aspects of a business collaboration is the value aspect. Analyzing a business collaboration form the value point of view enables us to understand the value-creation and sustainability of the collaboration. Therefore, having a business collaboration up and running for some time, the stakeholders involved in the collaboration can asses its performance by designing a value model of the collaboration and analyzing it. A value model is an abstract and easy to understand image of the collaboration from the value point of view. In this paper we elaborate on producing a business value model from a coordination process model