VirtuE: a Formal Model of Virtual Enterprises for Information Markets

A vital part of a modern economy is an information market. In this market, information products are being traded in countless ways. Information is bought, modified, integrated, incorporated into other products, and then sold again. Often, the manufacturing of an information product requires the collaboration of several participants. A virtual enterprise is a community of business entities that collaborate on the manufacturing of complex products. This collaboration is often ad hoc, for a specific product only, after which the virtual enterprise may dismantle. The virtual enterprise paradigm is particularly appealing for modeling collaborations for manufacturing information products, and in this paper we present a new model, called VirtuE, for modeling such activities. VirtuE has three principal components. First, it defines a distributed infrastructure with concepts such as members, products, inventories, and production plans. Second, it defines transactions among members, to enable collaborative production of complex products. Finally, it provides means for the instrumentation of enterprises, to measure their performance and to govern their behavior.A vital part of a modern economy is an information market. In this market, information products are being traded in countless ways. Information is bought, modified, integrated, incorporated into other products, and then sold again. Often, the manufacturing of an information product requires the collaboration of several participants. A virtual enterprise is a community of business entities that collaborate on the manufacturing of complex products. This collaboration is often ad hoc, for a specific product only, after which the virtual enterprise may dismantle. The virtual enterprise paradigm is particularly appealing for modeling collaborations for manufacturing information products, and in this paper we present a new model, called VirtuE, for modeling such activities. VirtuE has three principal components. First, it defines a distributed infrastructure with concepts such as members, products, inventories, and production plans. Second, it defines transactions among members, to enable collaborative production of complex products. Finally, it provides means for the instrumentation of enterprises, to measure their performance and to govern their behavior.Non-Refereed Working Papers / of national relevance onl

Evolving VirtuE

One of the most attractive aspects of virtual enterprises is their agility: the inherent ability to adapt and evolve in response to changing market conditions. Evolving VirtuE is a formal framework within which such agility can be realized. Through the concepts of enterprise time, activity logging, and log mining, the recent behavior and performance of an enterprise may be studied,and corresponding evolutionary steps can be induced. These steps may be intended to benefit the operation of individual enterprise members, as well the enterprise as a whole. In addition, we examine enterprise creation, a period of rapid evolution that concludes when the enterprise reaches stability and begins transacting its business activities.One of the most attractive aspects of virtual enterprises is their agility: the inherent ability to adapt and evolve in response to changing market conditions. Evolving VirtuE is a formal framework within which such agility can be realized. Through the concepts of enterprise time, activity logging, and log mining, the recent behavior and performance of an enterprise may be studied,and corresponding evolutionary steps can be induced. These steps may be intended to benefit the operation of individual enterprise members, as well the enterprise as a whole. In addition, we examine enterprise creation, a period of rapid evolution that concludes when the enterprise reaches stability and begins transacting its business activities.Monograph's chapter

Il Business Model come punto di contatto tra Tecnologia ed Organizzazione

Con la nascita e lo sviluppo della new-economy il concetto di ``Business Model'' si è diffuso sia nella pratica di business che nella ricerca scientifica. Sebbene l'interesse nei confronti di questa tematica, segnalato dalla frequenza della ricorrenza del termine nelle pubblicazioni di carattere scientifico, sia sufficientemente sostenuta, allo stato attuale la ricerca sui Business Model soffre di un problema di frammentazione. I Business Model sono stati analizzati da differenti discipline con obiettivi e finalità diverse. Allo stato attuale manca ancora consenso unanime su una definizione condivisa di Business Model ed emerge la necessità di intensificare la ricerca empirica in questo settore. Recenti lavori di ricerca, nel tentativo di riassumere e considerare tutte le precedenti posizioni, hanno proposto l'adozione di ontologie per la derivazione di una definizione di Business Model condivisa e condivisibile. Il processo di creazione di queste ontologie mette in evidenza come tratti comuni alle esperienze di ricerca in questa area tematica, seppur provenienti da differenti settori scientifici, consistono nel rapporto tra organizzazione, tecnologia e strategia. Alla luce di questo scenario, nel presente paper, dopo una analisi della letteratura esistente sui Business Model, viene presentata l'applicazione della Business Model Ontology al progetto europeo LD- CAST con l'obiettivo di analizzare l'utilità di questo schema concettuale di riferimento, applicandolo ad un caso reale, nell'ambito di un processo di progettazione organizzativa che prende in considerazione una o più tecnologie informatiche e di comunicazione1. 1 Attività di ricerca parzialmente finanziata dal progetto europeo LD-CAST: Local Development Cooperation Action Enabled by Semantic Technology (FP6-2004-IST) -- Sito web del progetto: http://www.ldcastproject.com.Con la nascita e lo sviluppo della new-economy il concetto di ``Business Model'' si è diffuso sia nella pratica di business che nella ricerca scientifica. Sebbene l'interesse nei confronti di questa tematica, segnalato dalla frequenza della ricorrenza del termine nelle pubblicazioni di carattere scientifico, sia sufficientemente sostenuta, allo stato attuale la ricerca sui Business Model soffre di un problema di frammentazione. I Business Model sono stati analizzati da differenti discipline con obiettivi e finalità diverse. Allo stato attuale manca ancora consenso unanime su una definizione condivisa di Business Model ed emerge la necessità di intensificare la ricerca empirica in questo settore. Recenti lavori di ricerca, nel tentativo di riassumere e considerare tutte le precedenti posizioni, hanno proposto l'adozione di ontologie per la derivazione di una definizione di Business Model condivisa e condivisibile. Il processo di creazione di queste ontologie mette in evidenza come tratti comuni alle esperienze di ricerca in questa area tematica, seppur provenienti da differenti settori scientifici, consistono nel rapporto tra organizzazione, tecnologia e strategia. Alla luce di questo scenario, nel presente paper, dopo una analisi della letteratura esistente sui Business Model, viene presentata l'applicazione della Business Model Ontology al progetto europeo LD- CAST con l'obiettivo di analizzare l'utilità di questo schema concettuale di riferimento, applicandolo ad un caso reale, nell'ambito di un processo di progettazione organizzativa che prende in considerazione una o più tecnologie informatiche e di comunicazione1. 1 Attività di ricerca parzialmente finanziata dal progetto europeo LD-CAST: Local Development Cooperation Action Enabled by Semantic Technology (FP6-2004-IST) -- Sito web del progetto: http://www.ldcastproject.com.Uninvited Submission

From Supply Chains to Supply Networks: the Beer Game evolution

The new trends in inter-organisation configurations are challenging the traditional concept of supply chain. Concepts such as Virtual Enterprise have been introduced to describe scenarios in which manufacturers operate as nodes in a network of suppliers, customers, engineers, and other specialised service functions Our aim is to create a simulation based on the rules of the Beer Game which includes the variables of a virtual enterprise, VirtuE in particular, and risk management, in order to understand the strategies underlying the subjects behavior in the face of risk within a means-end chain. This study shows the tests carried out on the original game, the variables that we proposed and the simulation results.The new trends in inter-organisation configurations are challenging the traditional concept of supply chain. Concepts such as Virtual Enterprise have been introduced to describe scenarios in which manufacturers operate as nodes in a network of suppliers, customers, engineers, and other specialised service functions Our aim is to create a simulation based on the rules of the Beer Game which includes the variables of a virtual enterprise, VirtuE in particular, and risk management, in order to understand the strategies underlying the subjects behavior in the face of risk within a means-end chain. This study shows the tests carried out on the original game, the variables that we proposed and the simulation results.Uninvited Submission

IL Business model come punto di contatto tra tecnologia e organizzazione

Con la nascita e lo sviluppo della new-economy il concetto di “Business Model” si è diffuso sia nella pratica di business che nella ricerca scientifica. Sebbene l’interesse nei confronti di questa tematica, segnalato dalla frequenza della ricorrenza del termine nelle pubblicazioni di carattere scientifico, sia sufficientemente sostenuta, allo stato attuale la ricerca sui Business Model soffre di un problema di frammentazione. I Business Model sono stati analizzati da differenti discipline con obiettivi e finalità diverse. Allo stato attuale manca ancora consenso unanime su una definizione condivisa di Business Model ed emerge la necessità di intensificare la ricerca empirica in questo settore. Recenti lavori di ricerca, nel tentativo di riassumere e considerare tutte le precedenti posizioni, hanno proposto l’adozione di ontologie per la derivazione di una definizione di Business Model condivisa e condivisibile. Il processo di creazione di queste ontologie mette in evidenza come tratti comuni alle esperienze di ricerca in questa area tematica, seppur provenienti da differenti settori scientifici, consistono nel rapporto tra organizzazione, tecnologia e strategia. Alla luce di questo scenario, nel presente paper, dopo una analisi della letteratura esistente sui Business Model, viene presentata l’applicazione della Business Model Ontology al progetto europeo LDCAST con l’obiettivo di analizzare l’utilità di questo schema concettuale di riferimento, applicandolo ad un caso reale, nell’ambito di un processo di progettazione organizzativa che prende in considerazione una o più tecnologie informatiche e di comunicazioneCon la nascita e lo sviluppo della new-economy il concetto di “Business Model” si è diffuso sia nella pratica di business che nella ricerca scientifica. Sebbene l’interesse nei confronti di questa tematica, segnalato dalla frequenza della ricorrenza del termine nelle pubblicazioni di carattere scientifico, sia sufficientemente sostenuta, allo stato attuale la ricerca sui Business Model soffre di un problema di frammentazione. I Business Model sono stati analizzati da differenti discipline con obiettivi e finalità diverse. Allo stato attuale manca ancora consenso unanime su una definizione condivisa di Business Model ed emerge la necessità di intensificare la ricerca empirica in questo settore. Recenti lavori di ricerca, nel tentativo di riassumere e considerare tutte le precedenti posizioni, hanno proposto l’adozione di ontologie per la derivazione di una definizione di Business Model condivisa e condivisibile. Il processo di creazione di queste ontologie mette in evidenza come tratti comuni alle esperienze di ricerca in questa area tematica, seppur provenienti da differenti settori scientifici, consistono nel rapporto tra organizzazione, tecnologia e strategia. Alla luce di questo scenario, nel presente paper, dopo una analisi della letteratura esistente sui Business Model, viene presentata l’applicazione della Business Model Ontology al progetto europeo LDCAST con l’obiettivo di analizzare l’utilità di questo schema concettuale di riferimento, applicandolo ad un caso reale, nell’ambito di un processo di progettazione organizzativa che prende in considerazione una o più tecnologie informatiche e di comunicazioneUninvited Submission

Quality, usability and economical aspects in a medical web-based training service

The paper describes activities and results achieved on quality, usability and economical aspects by the project named EETAH-on-line (European Education, Training and Accreditation in Hematology on-line). The goal is to improve and harmonize professional skills and competences in this medical field. The target users are: students, physicians, nurses and technical staff involved in the hematological education and training; expert hematologists who need continuing training; all physicians of linked specialties who may take advantage of these scientific contents; institutions running certified programs in the hematological education, training and accreditation.The paper describes activities and results achieved on quality, usability and economical aspects by the project named EETAH-on-line (European Education, Training and Accreditation in Hematology on-line). The goal is to improve and harmonize professional skills and competences in this medical field. The target users are: students, physicians, nurses and technical staff involved in the hematological education and training; expert hematologists who need continuing training; all physicians of linked specialties who may take advantage of these scientific contents; institutions running certified programs in the hematological education, training and accreditation.Invited Submission

A Model Proposal for the Investigation of End Users' Satisfaction on the Usage of an E-Learning Platform

Uninvited Submission

A Business Ontology for supporting cross border cooperation between European Chambers of Commerce

The recent EU enlargement opens up new opportunities, but poses new issues to be addressed. In particular, in order to enable and support cooperation between firms from different countries, it is necessary to address interoperability issues. The LD-CAST project aims at enabling cross border cooperation between European chambers of commerce (CCs) for supporting the development of private company initiatives. The project objective is to build a European network of portals that will enable end users (mainly private companies) to access in a seamless mode services provided by public organizations registered in each portal. This paper briefly presents a cooperation framework for semantic interoperability mainly based on the following semantic technologies: ontology management, semantic annotation, and semantic search and discovery. Finally the business ontology produced in the course of the project is presented.The recent EU enlargement opens up new opportunities, but poses new issues to be addressed. In particular, in order to enable and support cooperation between firms from different countries, it is necessary to address interoperability issues. The LD-CAST project aims at enabling cross border cooperation between European chambers of commerce (CCs) for supporting the development of private company initiatives. The project objective is to build a European network of portals that will enable end users (mainly private companies) to access in a seamless mode services provided by public organizations registered in each portal. This paper briefly presents a cooperation framework for semantic interoperability mainly based on the following semantic technologies: ontology management, semantic annotation, and semantic search and discovery. Finally the business ontology produced in the course of the project is presented.Uninvited Submission

Digital Natives in a Knowledge Economy: will a new kind of Leadership Emerge?

The aim of this paper is to understand whether digital natives will need a different approach to leadership development. The authors discuss that in knowledge economies extrinsic and explicit knowledge (knowing that) learning approaches are more important than traditional learning methods based on the idea that knowledge has a value per se and it is transferred tacitally (knowing how). In conclusion, authors do acknowledge the importance of extrinsic and explicit knowledge in digital natives learning; but, if they wish to become leaders, digital natives still have not only to turn their explicit knowledge into an implicit one (internalization) in order to intuitively use what they are learning but also natives need to learn more about social skills. Keywords: digital natives, digital immigrants, leadership, knowledge economy, internalization.The aim of this paper is to understand whether digital natives will need a different approach to leadership development. The authors discuss that in knowledge economies extrinsic and explicit knowledge (knowing that) learning approaches are more important than traditional learning methods based on the idea that knowledge has a value per se and it is transferred tacitally (knowing how). In conclusion, authors do acknowledge the importance of extrinsic and explicit knowledge in digital natives learning; but, if they wish to become leaders, digital natives still have not only to turn their explicit knowledge into an implicit one (internalization) in order to intuitively use what they are learning but also natives need to learn more about social skills. Keywords: digital natives, digital immigrants, leadership, knowledge economy, internalization.Uninvited Submission

Defining cooperative business models for inter-organizational cooperation

Usage of software platforms alongside the business transformation potential of information and communication technology enables cooperation between different companies in both open and networked environments. This is possible when multiple actors cooperate in the delivery of services; each one contributes its own resources, and there is an underlying attractive business model for all of the players involved. This research paper investigates the definition process of a cooperative business model, which involves partners from different countries with different levels of technology, different markets, and different statutory regulations. The aim of this paper is to contribute to both theory and practice by introducing an approach for a cooperative business model definition that can be used in instances where there are conflicting requirements of partners who are willing to cooperate. In the case which is analyzed in this paper, the premature identification of the exploitation alternative scenarios among partners, the adoption of a perspective based on customers’ needs by the means of the business episode concept, and the usage of the business model ontology for the description of the structure of the cooperative business model, have helped the different partners to successfully converge to a common and agreed solution.Usage of software platforms alongside the business transformation potential of information and communication technology enables cooperation between different companies in both open and networked environments. This is possible when multiple actors cooperate in the delivery of services; each one contributes its own resources, and there is an underlying attractive business model for all of the players involved. This research paper investigates the definition process of a cooperative business model, which involves partners from different countries with different levels of technology, different markets, and different statutory regulations. The aim of this paper is to contribute to both theory and practice by introducing an approach for a cooperative business model definition that can be used in instances where there are conflicting requirements of partners who are willing to cooperate. In the case which is analyzed in this paper, the premature identification of the exploitation alternative scenarios among partners, the adoption of a perspective based on customers’ needs by the means of the business episode concept, and the usage of the business model ontology for the description of the structure of the cooperative business model, have helped the different partners to successfully converge to a common and agreed solution.Articles published in or submitted to a Journal without I