Service-oriented Enterprise Research Articles

A Study of Power Process and the Operating Results of Service Type Enterprises

Purpose - In the past, most of the research on competition strategy is limited to the analysis of each strategic element, which does not reveal the relationship between the elements, and the practicability is not strong. The theory of power process holds that the subject of power is composed of the interaction of five determinants of power, desire, value, environment and relationship, and creates value by this. Design/Methodology/Approach - This paper makes an empirical study on the management results of erviceoriented enterprises, and takes the SERVQUAL model as a bridge. Findings - He theory of power process not only puts forward the above five elements of power decision, but also reveals the form and way of effective interaction of the five elements, which has strong practicability. The theory of “irrational condition” is derived from the theory of power process, and its scientific nature has been proved by some empirical studies. Research Implications - To determine the mechanism of the influence of the factors of “irrational conditions” theory on the management results of service-oriented enterprises. It further proves the scientific and extensive theory of irrational conditions.

Comprehensive Approach to Implement E-Government Backend in Jordan Using Service-Oriented Architecture

This paper proposes a comprehensive approach to implement and deploy a backend middleware for e-government in Jordan using service-oriented architecture (SOA) and enterprise service bus (ESB). The proposed approach takes into consideration a full overview of needed e-services as well as all stakeholders communicating within e-government environment. The paper describes the high-level architecture of the proposed approach and then goes deeper to describe the internal implementation of the middleware and its layers. Finally, the paper addresses some deployment issues and proposes a deployment architecture to overcome these issues.

Machine learning-based e-commerce platform repurchase customer prediction model.

In recent years, China's e-commerce industry has developed at a high speed, and the scale of various industries has continued to expand. Service-oriented enterprises such as e-commerce transactions and information technology came into being. This paper analyzes the shortcomings and challenges of traditional online shopping behavior prediction methods, and proposes an online shopping behavior analysis and prediction system. The paper chooses linear model logistic regression and decision tree based XGBoost model. After optimizing the model, it is found that the nonlinear model can make better use of these features and get better prediction results. In this paper, we first combine the single model, and then use the model fusion algorithm to fuse the prediction results of the single model. The purpose is to avoid the accuracy of the linear model easy to fit and the decision tree model over-fitting. The results show that the model constructed by the article has further improvement than the single model. Finally, through two sets of contrast experiments, it is proved that the algorithm selected in this paper can effectively filter the features, which simplifies the complexity of the model to a certain extent and improves the classification accuracy of machine learning. The XGBoost hybrid model based on p/n samples is simpler than a single model. Machine learning models are not easily over-fitting and therefore more robust.

Digitizing Service Level Agreements in Service-Oriented Enterprise Architecture

As service-orientation gathers traction in enterprise engineering, more and more business processes and capabilities alike are wrapped up and viewed as services in today’s digital enterprises. Digital servitization is neither a rebranding nor a syntax sugar in enterprise engineering. It opens the door to innovative business models, novel system architecture, to name just a few. Central to service provisioning is the notion of commitment that captures contractual agreements between the provider and the consumer of the service in question, describing not only computer-interpretable factors (e.g., reliability, payment), but also business rules (e.g., service penalty) of the commitment. Widely known as the service level agreement, this building block of service-oriented enterprise engineering is pushed towards virtual when it comes to digital servitization. In this article, we propose a descriptive framework for digital enterprise services together with devised techniques for the alignment and reinforcement of the service level agreement. The relevance and applicability of the multi-perspective approach to service engineering are among our findings, which are illustrated using a few examples and a real-life case-study.

The Effectiveness of Customer Participation and Affective Misforecasting in Online Post-Recovery Satisfaction

Online service recovery is directly related to customer follow-up behavior and plays a central role in the sustainable service-oriented enterprise development. This study explored the influence mechanism about how the type of customer participation (physical, mental, and emotional) improves customers’ post-recovery satisfaction by reducing negative bias. Furthermore, the moderating effect of the information format of opening remarks (informal, formal, or hybrid) on the relationship between customer participation and affective misforecasting was investigated. A total of 720 Chinese individuals participated in an online experiment. The results show that, first, only mental and physical participation can improve customers’ post-recovery satisfaction, whereas emotional participation cannot. Second, the direction of affective misforecasting is a mediator between customer participation and post-recovery satisfaction, and compared with negative bias (feeling worse than forecasted), when customers form positive bias (feeling better than forecasted), their post-recovery satisfaction is higher. Third, the fit of the information format of the opening remarks and customer participation type can make customers feel better than forecasted—to generate higher post-recovery satisfaction, for physical and mental participation specifically, the formal format of opening remarks is most suitable, whereas for emotional participation, the hybrid format of opening remarks is most suitable.

Beyond Homogeneity: Redefining Social Entrepreneurship in Authoritarian Contexts

This article focuses on how social entrepreneurship and its role in civil society can be understood in the context of authoritarian regimes in developing countries. Through the case study of Jordan, the article demonstrates that there are two types of social enterprises, distinguished by their objectives and functions: structural transformation-based social enterprises and product- and service-oriented social enterprises. Their ability to be self-sustainable, community-responsive organizations is evaluated in the context of the country’s political landscape. The research findings apply to the study of social enterprises across the Middle East and in other developing regions.

Diagramming Multi-Level Service-Oriented Enterprise Architecture

Today’s enterprise architecture should incorporate high-level enterprise services that are considered as wrappers of business processes and ICT capabilities. This service-oriented enterprise model consists of a large number of model elements capturing various aspects of the enterprise in question, making any attempt to browse it too cumbersome. Enterprise architecture modeling, therefore, often resorts to a multi-view representation where views are focused and scoped. We define a visual modeling language and develop a supporting tool called SeamCAD that together lay the foundation for further multi-level enterprise modeling techniques. This article is dedicated to our tool realizing a notation schema and reinforcing a distinctive diagramming layout designed to visually capture the hierarchical containment in enterprise models. We demonstrate our real-life EA applications that were constructed thanks to SeamCAD. We report users’ feedback on SeamCAD.

An empirical analysis on the forming mechanism of the innovation capability of service-oriented manufacturing enterprises

The research objects of this study are Chinese manufacturing enterprises that are transitioning to service-oriented manufacturing enterprises. This paper aims to reveal how external factors (technical, policy, and market environments) and internal factors (technical, service, organisational, and marketing innovations) influence the formation of the innovation capability of these companies. This paper considers both the above mentioned factors and builds a model for the formation of the innovation capability. The results confirm that service and organisational innovations do not directly affect innovation capability but indirectly affect it by acting on technical and market innovation. This study hypothesises that the market environment has an indirect influence; however, the results show that it directly affects innovation capability. While most studies examine the effects of external or internal factors (often separately) on innovation capability, this paper develops a unified model to investigate the combined effect of these factors on the formation of innovation capability.

A Risk Integration Framework for the Service-Oriented Enterprise

Enterprise architecture management provides the mechanism for governing enterprise transformations required by changes in the environment. In this article, the authors focus on changes that result from the analysis of information system risks and of their impacts on the services delivered by the enterprise. The authors present how the concepts of an information system risks management domain can be integrated into the ArchiMate enterprise architecture modelling language. This article approaches the conceptual integration in two design cycles: first, this article will consider information security risks, and then the authors generalize to information system risks. Additionally, the authors illustrate the application of the proposed approach and demonstrate the benefits of the integrated model through the handling of a case study, first in the domain of information security, and then in the domain of information privacy. The generalized risk-oriented EA model leads to a risk integration framework for the service-oriented enterprise.

Service-Oriented Enterprise Engineering

Strategic sourcing, as a critical area of strategic management, is centered on decision-making towards achieving value-driven targets. Many companies face challenges in obtaining the benefits associated with effective strategic sourcing decision-making. Enterprise modeling can contribute to strategic sourcing decision-making by helping in the conceptualization, design and exploration of multiple strategic options for better decision-making. In this article, the authors explore a solution approach that refines the existing Enterprise Engineering (EE) modeling discipline into a Service-oriented Enterprise Engineering (SoEE) modeling discipline, by founding it on the novel application of the Viable Systems Approach (vSa) towards strategic (sourcing) decision-making. The proposed modeling discipline provides (1) the systemic viewpoints to interpret complex sourcing phenomena; and (2) the outside-box models to specify the value-driven interactions of an enterprise (as a system) with other actors. Finally, to operationalize the modeling discipline the authors introduce the conceptual basis (C.A.R.S) of a modeling language to apply the SoEE viewpoints and develop the related models for supporting strategic sourcing decision-making. The paper elaborates on preliminary ideas presented at the SoEA4EE 2013 workshop.

Social capital in service-oriented firms: future directions

This collection aimed to provide a broader picture of the implications of social capital in service-oriented firms. In this piece, we identify trends for future research on social capital with a focus on the services industry, an important sector of the economy. We focus on three future directions: the internationalization of service firms, social capital for service-oriented social enterprises and public policy programmes to create social capital, particularly in the context of Asia Pacific. We then identify how the contributions to this collection are related to these future directions to encourage more confirmatory work in this dynamic field of research and practice on social capital in service-oriented firms in the Asia Pacific region.

Towards a sustainable interoperability in food industry small & medium networked enterprises: Distributed service-oriented enterprise resources planning

Abstract Distributed enterprise resources planning (ERP) can be customized to the specific requirements of each segment in networked structures for upgrading the small & medium enterprises' (SMEs) value chain. Because the implementation and control processes of distributed ERP systems are challenging in enterprises having limited resources, this study proposed a multi-criteria optimization method on ERP systems assessment in food industry networked enterprises. Networked enterprises can organize SMEs into the effective architecture which has more advantageous in the integration of total capacity through interoperability and collaboration. The proposed method is based on the control of food ERP optimization & orchestration in networked enterprises (FEo2NE). The architecture of FEo2NE controller encapsulates distributed modules of food ERP master plan into cloud resources through centralized service-oriented architecture (SOA) for warranting orchestration. Thus networked SMEs can interoperate services according to the optimized requirements using the modules' controller. The remarkable points of the method capabilities are the multi-criteria optimization of food ERP and SMEs collaboration in the value chain's distributed platform. The value chain's sustainability is demonstrated and the results guide food SMEs for implementing the business strategies with cleaner production considerations.

Influence of leader and employee emotional labor on service performance: A hierarchical linear modeling approach

Given the importance of emotional labor for service-oriented enterprises, it is highly valuable to explore how leader emotional labor affects the emotional labor strategy used by employees. This study was based on affective events theory and we used hierarchical linear modeling to explore cross-hierarchical relationships among leader emotional labor, employee emotional labor, and employee service performance. We tested the model with data from 534 employees and their immediate leaders working in 23 service-oriented enterprises in China. Results showed that leaders' surface acting positively influenced employees' surface acting, and leaders' deep acting positively influenced employees' deep acting and service performance. Employees' deep acting mediated the relationship between leaders' deep acting and employee service performance. Our findings enhance understanding of leader emotional labor and help to advance emotional labor theory in the leadership context.

An enterprise architecture framework for electronic requirements information management

Managing information about client requirements effectively can contribute to improve the quality of built facilities, and their related services. However, the process has been challenging to construction project management often resulting in failed projects. This necessitates an overwhelming need for a better approach. This paper presents a novel enterprise architecture framework for managing information about client requirements across all phases of a construction project and through-life of a built facility. The Integrated electronic Requirements Information Management Framework (eRIM) defines an information-centric, and process and service-oriented enterprise architecture approach to requirements management. It also describes how Information and Communication Technology (ICT)/Information Systems (IS) can support this information management. In developing the framework, findings from three case study projects were collated through observations, a questionnaire and interviews of construction practitioners. It is concluded that when implemented and incorporated in the management of construction projects, the eRIM architecture framework can potentially contribute towards improved and more efficient and effective management of client requirements across all stages of a project. Further work is outlined to operationalize the framework.

An Approach to Knowledge Management in Construction Service – Oriented Architecture

Modern business driving requires agility in the reflecting changes of Service-oriented Enterprise Architecture (SoEA). For this purpose Subject-oriented Business Process Management (S-BPM) was used for facilitation of structured communication between process participants, process experts and resulted generation of collaborative business process. During such generation all necessary requirements for supporting resources (such as information, know-how, intellectual and professional skills, inputs and outputs, quality and operational risk limitations, moderation, control and monitoring) are taken into consideration using the operational knowledge of experts and project participants that act inside the predefined business area. The work results in updating the business model selecting business services from the virtual SOA torrent (that catches rated cloud services on the internet) and represents the basis for quickly adjustable “real-time” service-oriented enterprise architectures.

Holonic and multi-agent technologies for service and computing oriented manufacturing

This special feature aims at shedding light on new emerging holonic and multi-agent systems operating in a service-and computing oriented manufacturing environment, using the latest ICT technologies such as service-orientation, mobile agents, Web-and Cloud services, virtualization, big data and analytics to name a few. Industrials are seeking for models and solutions that are not only able to provide efficient overall production performance, but also to face reactively a growing set of unpredicted events. The demand for large scale industrial systems running in complex and even chaotic environments requires the consideration of new paradigms and technologies that provide flexibility, robustness, agility and responsiveness. Holonic systems are, actually by definition, targeting challenges that include coping with the heterogeneous nature of manufacturing systems and their on-line interactive nature in combination with competitive pressures. Multi-agent systems is a suitable implementing approach to address these challenge by offering an alternative way to design control systems, based on the decentralization of control functions over distributed autonomous and cooperative entities. Moreover, virtualization of manufacturing execution system workloads offers a set of design and operational advantages to enterprises, the most visible being improved resource utilization and flexibility of the overall solution. At the manufacturing execution system level, cloud computing adoption refers mainly to virtualization of MES workloads. While MES implementations are different and usually depend directly on the actual physical shop floor layout, the general MES functions are aligned with the set of functions defined by ISA-95.03 specification. To achieve high levels of productivity growth and agility to market changes, manufacturers will need to leverage Big Data sets to drive efficiency across the networked enterprise. There is need for a framework allowing the development of manufacturing cyber physical systems that include capabilities for complex event processing and Big Data analytics, which are expected to move the manufacturing domain closer to digital transformation and cloud services within the contextual enterprise. On the other hand, service orientation is emerging at multiple organizational levels in enterprise business, and leverages technology in response to the growing need for greater business integration, flexibility and agility of manufacturing enterprises. Close related to IT infrastructures of Web Services, the Service Oriented Enterprise Architecture represents a technical architecture, a business modelling concept, an integration source and a new way of viewing units of control within the enterprise. Business and process information systems integration and interoperability are feasible by considering the customized product as active controller of the enterprise resources – thus providing consistency between material and informational flows. The areas of Service Oriented Computing and Multi-agent Systems are getting closer, both trying to deal with the same kind of environments formed by loose-coupled, flexible, persistent and distributed tasks. An example is the new approach of Service Oriented Multi-agent Systems (SoMAS).

Identifying most important skills for PhD students in Food Science and Technology: a comparison between industry and academic stakeholders

Nowadays, there is an increasing need of new skills for PhD students to face the future labour market prospects. PhD graduates must have qualities attractive not only in academia but also outside, in both manufacture and service-oriented enterprises, in small innovative companies, and in the civil services and public administration, among others. To know what the needs of these future employees are, is of great importance to be able to improve their personal and academic formation. The aim of this work was, in the framework of the EC-funded ISEKI_Food 4 network, to evaluate the most desirable specific and soft skills that PhD students should acquire by the end of their doctoral studies. To this aim, several surveys were conducted and sent to the different stakeholders (academia and food industry partners) in order to collect the information needed. Results showed that competences related to research skills and techniques, research management, personal effectiveness and communication skills were considered to be the most valuable skills to be acquired by our PhD students to meet the future needs of the labour market. The importance of these skills was appreciated differently, depending on the stakeholder. To sum up, some recommendations to integrate such valuable skills into the curricula of the PhD student are given.

Identifying most important skills for PhD students in Food Science and Technology: a comparison between industry and academic stakeholders

Nowadays, there is an increasing need of new skills for PhD students to face the future labour market prospects. PhD graduates must have qualities attractive not only in academia but also outside, in both manufacture and service-oriented enterprises, in small innovative companies, and in the civil services and public administration, among others. To know what the needs of these future employees are, is of great importance to be able to improve their personal and academic formation. The aim of this work was, in the framework of the EC-funded ISEKI_Food 4 network, to evaluate the most desirable specific and soft skills that PhD students should acquire by the end of their doctoral studies. To this aim, several surveys were conducted and sent to the different stakeholders (academia and food industry partners) in order to collect the information needed. Results showed that competences related to research skills and techniques, research management, personal effectiveness and communication skills were considered to be the most valuable skills to be acquired by our PhD students to meet the future needs of the labour market. The importance of these skills was appreciated differently, depending on the stakeholder. To sum up, some recommendations to integrate such valuable skills into the curricula of the PhD student are given.

Empirical insights into the development of a service-oriented enterprise architecture

Organisations use Enterprise Architecture (EA) to reduce organisational complexity, improve communication, align business and information technology (IT), and drive organisational change. Due to the dynamic nature of environmental and organisational factors, EA descriptions need to change over time to keep providing value for its stakeholders. Emerging business and IT trends, such as Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), may impact EA frameworks, methodologies, governance and tools. However, the phenomenon of EA evolution is still poorly understood. Using Archer's morphogenetic theory as a foundation, this research conceptualises three analytical phases of EA evolution in organisations, namely conditioning, interaction and elaboration. Based on a case study with a government agency, this paper provides new empirically and theoretically grounded insights into EA evolution, in particular in relation to the introduction of SOA, and describes relevant generative mechanisms affecting EA evolution. By doing so, it builds a foundation to further examine the impact of other IT trends such as mobile or cloud-based solutions on EA evolution. At a practical level, the research delivers a model that can be used to guide professionals to manage EA and continually evolve it.

Enterprise application architecture development based on DoDAF and TOGAF

ABSTRACTFor the purpose of supporting the design and analysis of enterprise application architecture, here, we report a tailored enterprise application architecture description framework and its corresponding design method. The presented framework can effectively support service-oriented architecting and cloud computing by creating the metadata model based on architecture content framework (ACF), DoDAF metamodel (DM2) and Cloud Computing Modelling Notation (CCMN). The framework also makes an effort to extend and improve the mapping between The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) application architectural inputs/outputs, deliverables and Department of Defence Architecture Framework (DoDAF)-described models. The roadmap of 52 DoDAF-described models is constructed by creating the metamodels of these described models and analysing the constraint relationship among metamodels. By combining the tailored framework and the roadmap, this article proposes a service-oriented enterprise application architecture development process. Finally, a case study is presented to illustrate the results of implementing the tailored framework in the Southern Base Management Support and Information Platform construction project using the development process proposed by the paper.