An ontological analysis of the notion of community in the RM-ODP enterprise language

Abstract

In our past work, we have shown that a number of theories from conceptual modeling and ontological analysis can be used to clarify the definitions of role-related and goal-related concepts in the RM-ODP [1,2]. This paper builds up on our earlier efforts by providing an ontology-based account for the notion of communities in the reference model's Enterprise Language [38]. We address issues regarding the composition of communities, the filling of roles in communities, the decomposition of a community's objective into sub-objectives (delegated to community members). The use of an ontology that deals with aspects of social reality and intentionality [30] plays an important role in this account, revealing the intentionality of communities and enterprise objects; the social relations between communities and enterprise objects in the community; the social relations between objects in the community; the social relations between communities; the normative character of a community's contract, etc. The analysis allows us to propose well-founded recommendations for clarifications and identify potential amendments to the standard as well as issues for further investigation.