Cesar Toscano

Interoperability in Collaborative Networks: Independent and industry-specific initiatives - The case of the footwear industry

The development of information and communication technologies and turbulent market conditions have forced enterprises to adapt their way of undertaking business, from traditional practices to e-business. In this context, achieving seamless interoperability among heterogeneous organizations becomes a critical issue. This article has two main objectives:(1)to present a review of the most relevant approaches aiming at achieving seamless interoperability in a collaborative networked environment. In this sense, major interoperability issues (e.g., interoperability requirements, technologies) are discussed, and the most significant independent (e.g., ebXML) and industry-specific initiatives (e.g., RosettaNet, papiNet, TexWeave) are analyzed; (2)to introduce a recently developed two-layered operational infrastructure aiming at attaining seamless interoperability in the footwear industry (the up-stream segment), based on the requirements identified for this sector in a recent industry survey conducted at European level. Other relevant initiatives targeting this sector are also analyzed, emphasizing the innovative aspects and advantages of this approach.

A framework proposal for seamless interoperability in a collaborative networked environment

The advances in information and communication technologies and economic factors impelled organizations to engage in new forms of collaboration, such as collaborative networks. They require adequate frameworks, architectures, tools and platforms to support interoperability among heterogeneous and geographically distributed organizations. Despite the high number of research projects in this area, existing tools and infrastructures, this objective has not been totally achieved. The aim of this research work is to advance the research in the area of interoperability in collaborative networks. A conceptual framework towards seamless interoperability in a collaborative-competitive economic networked environment is described, which comprises six elements: (1) a messaging service; (2) a collaboration profile/agreement definition and management service; (3) five clusters of collaborative activities; (4) a centralized repository; (5) a set of business documents and a set of contracting documents; (6) a performance assessment service. The functionality of the conceptual framework proposed is illustrated with a real implementation case targeting the footwear industry. The proposed conceptual framework is then compared with relevant e-business frameworks.

An advanced agent-based order planning system for dynamic networked enterprises

There is an increasing interest in exploring the opportunities for competitive advantage that arise from reinforcing core competencies and innovative capabilities of the individual companies, and by forming integrated supply networks. In complex and dynamic environments such as the automotive and semiconductor industries, managing and co-ordinating the procurement of materials, their transformation into intermediate and finished products, and the distribution to the final customers, are very demanding tasks in terms of information systems. In general, current available software packages do not provide the full support needed for networked and distributed organizations, and are clearly insufficient in what concerns the planning and coordination activities needed in these heterogeneous environments. In order to adequately tackle these problems, this work proposes a multi-agent system architecture for real-time customer-order planning in distributed manufacturing enterprises, addressing the requirements of a make-to-order environment.  The present research work resulted from the Co-OPERATE European Project. Enhanced visibility of information, early warning of disturbances, synchronized production and collaborative planning in the supply chain are the general goals of the project. In particular, for aggregate planning and order promising, a distributed and decentralized information system, based on an architecture of agents and extensively using the internet, was designed and implemented. This system aims at responding to the basic requirements of cooperativeness, integration and configurability, and at providing new and more powerful decision support.

Cooperative planning in dynamic supply chains

This paper describes an order planning system for dynamic supply chains, addressing the requirements of a make-to-order business environment. A distributed and decentralized information system based on an architecture of agents and extensively using the internet was designed and implemented, so as to enable new and more powerful decision support. The system aims at responding to the basic requirements of cooperativeness, integration and configurability. It was developed under the scope of the IST European Project Co-OPERATE and implements the functionality defined in the context of the ‘request feasibility studies for the network’ (ReFS) business solution.

Collaborative business frameworks comparison, analysis and selection: an analytic perspective

Several e-business frameworks are currently available, which are aimed at modelling e-business. The aim of this article is to analyse and compare relevant industry-neutral and industry-specific e-business frameworks currently in use, emphasising their strengths and weaknesses towards seamless interoperability in a collaborative networked environment. Their main differences and similarities are underlined based on an analytical model for e-business frameworks comparison. The applicability of the Analytic Hierarchy Process multi-criteria method in e-business frameworks selection is discussed. These analytical approaches are then illustrated with two real cases from industry.

Towards the Creation of a Digital Business Ecosystem for the Shoe Manufacturing Domain

The digital business ecosystem paradigm emerged worldwide as an approach supporting the adoption and development of interoperable infrastructures among SMEs, supporting them to achieve their goals efficiently. The aim of this article is to present a novel three-layered approach towards the creation of a digital business ecosystem for the shoe manufacturing domain, following ebXML scenario and framework, and using open-source software. Relevant related works are also discussed, emphasizing the innovative aspects and advantages of this novel approach.

A Vertical and Cyber–Physical Integration of Cognitive Robots in Manufacturing

Cognitive robots, able to adapt their actions based on sensory information and the management of uncertainty, have begun to find their way into manufacturing settings. However, the full potential of these robots has not been fully exploited, largely due to the lack of vertical integration with existing IT infrastructures, such as the manufacturing execution system (MES), as part of a large-scale cyber-physical entity. This paper reports on considerations and findings from the research project STAMINA that is developing such a cognitive cyber-physical system and applying it to a concrete and well-known use case from the automotive industry. Our approach allows manufacturing tasks to be performed without human intervention, even if the available description of the environment-the world model-suffers from large uncertainties. Thus, the robot becomes an integral part of the MES, resulting in a highly flexible overall system.

Interoperability in Collaborative Networks: An Innovative Approach for the Shoe Up-Stream Business Segment

The development of information and communication technologies determined enterprises to adapt their way of undertaking business, from traditional practices to e-business. In this context, achieving seamless interoperability among heterogeneous entities becomes a critical issue.

An information system for distributed manufacturing enterprises

A component-based Information System supporting the requirements of an optimisation-based global Order Promise system developed for use in distributed manufacturing enterprises is described. The system is full Distributed Object Oriented and is part of a broader Decision Support System for production and operations planning for the semiconductor industry. In this manufacturing sector, planning and control activities are very complex, and have to take place both within the enterprise and across the whole supply network in order to achieve high levels of performance. This leads to new more challenging requirements for information systems, that are partially fulfilled with the system described in this paper.

Aggregate Collaborative Planning in Non-hierarchical Business Networks

The last decade has been characterized by times of change, including increasing levels of globalization and competition. Collaboration allowed SMEs to respond effectively to the development of new complex products and services but presented new barriers concerning the management of their business processes and relations with partners. This paper presents a new collaborative aggregate planning for non-hierarchical business networks, where SMEs collaborate in the selection of partners and definition of the operations plan required to specify, manufacture and distribute a custom made products. The proposed approach is based on negotiations undertaken by the partners in order to promote the creation of alternative operations plans and allow a multi-criteria evaluation of the involved costs and delivery dates. The proposed approach promotes the reduction of communication between partners, a reactive analysis of changes to planning and associated impact, enhancement of trust (since all partners have the same weight on the decision process).