PLIB Ontology

Abstract

This paper deals with the integration of PLIB ontologies in electronic commerce architectures, especially in B2B electronic commerce. Exchange of data, information, and knowledge is the key issue. To ensure reliability and feasibility of such exchange, two kinds of ontologies prove useful. One addresses products and services characterization, whereas the other addresses business processes. This paper aims to demonstrate the capability of integration of these two kinds of ontologies in a unique and global B2B-layered architecture. The orthogonality principle is applied. It allows the use of any best existing standard in both business layer and contents layer. In this paper, we use RosettaNet PIPs and ebXML in the business process layer, and we claim that PLIB ontologies are the best-in-class solution for the contents layer. These standards are used conjointly to promote interoperability and automation between partners involved in exchange. The originality of our approach is the possibility offered to the partners to use any defined business process with any defined content. A case study showing an application of such ontologies using RosettaNet PIP2A9 for business process and PLIB-based ontology for product characterization is presented. Implementation issues are also discussed.