Virtual Enterprise Integration Research Articles

Virtual Enterprise integration management based on a Meta-enterprise – a PMBoK approach

A Virtual Enterprise (VE) can be viewed as a project, with a lifecycle corresponding to the period between its creation and integration of the constituting elements until its dissolution, comprehending its operation and including its reconfigurations. The authors propose that the VE lifecycle is aligned and can be managed using the frameworks provided by several bodies of knowledge, such as the PMBoK Guide. In this paper the authors propose an alignment referential between the Project Management phases defined by PMBoK and management processes during the VE lifecycle.

An Ontology-Based Framework for Virtual Enterprise Integration and Interoperability

An Ontology-Based Framework for Virtual Enterprise Integration and Interoperability

Identification of the domain of opportunities for a market of resources for virtual enterprise integration

In the aggressive and competitive business environment of today, enterprises are expected to achieve competitive advantages in synergy, under the format of reconfigurable global networked structures, such as the virtual enterprise (VE) organizational model, integrating the optimal resources (products, operations, services) for each of the functions that the enterprise undertakes, in order to produce a product that meets the market requirements. The literature shows that several Internet-based tools can be used to enable some activities of VE integration. However, as we demonstrate, these do not support the reconfiguration dynamics required by this organizational model. Alternatively, the authors propose the market of resources (MR) as an environment to fully support VE integration, coping with its intrinsic requirement of high reconfigurability. Based on a demonstrator developed for the MR and on cost models traducing VE integration, one for the (traditional) Internet-based tools and the other for the MR, to support an analytical simulation, the paper validates the thesis that the traditional tools cannot support agility and dynamics, presenting the MR as a VE enabler, and identifying the domain of situations where the utilization of the MR reveals increased efficiency in terms of search and selection time and cost—designated as opportunities domain.

Performance measurement systems for virtual enterprise integration

A performance measurement system is a decision support system that through a set of indicators allows an analysis of the current state of an enterprise and comparison with the strategic objectives. It is therefore a fundamental tool for management control in business.

ARDIN extension for virtual enterprise integration

Virtual enterprise integration is the task of improving the performance of a temporary alliance of globally distributed independent enterprises that participate in the different phases of the life cycle of a product or service by efficiently managing the interactions among the participants. This is a very complex task that involves different approaches regarding technology, management and cultural elements. There are different proposals for enterprise integration (usually called Reference Architectures) that have been very useful in applications for a single-enterprise. However, they need to be adapted to support the new requirements that appear in virtual enterprise integration. This paper shows the modifications applied to ARDIN (Spanish acronym of Reference Architecture for INtegrated Development) to help in the design and management of an efficient and flexible virtual enterprise. The modifications are synthesized in a methodology, a set of reference models of best business practices, and in the design of a technological infrastructure.

ISO10303 compatible data model and its applications for PC configuration management

This paper focuses on identifying and defining standard data model for conducting configuration management (CM) of Personal Computer (PC) design and redesign. ISO product data representation and exchange standard (ISO10303) is adopted to support the realization of PC industry's global logistic management. The required data types are studied, identified and interpreted using ISO10303 Application Protocol 203 (AP203) to support the ISO10007-based standard CM procedure. This research enables the CM-related data being exchanged using a common data model among heterogeneous PDM systems of the supply chain partners for data sharing and virtual enterprise integration.