Jbm Jan Goossenaerts

Understanding enterprise modelling from product modelling

As enterprise modelling is being applied at large scale, an emerging challenge is related to managing the variety of business process models and enterprise resource models. This trend in enterprise modelling follows a similar trend in product modelling. This paper reviews to what extent themes from configuration management in product modelling can be positioned in enterprise modelling. The principles of progeny, view and domain, hierarchy, life cycle and variants are transferred to enterprise modelling. New insights in enterprise model configuration are derived from techniques for dealing with product variety, e.g. parametrized product modelling. An example of enterprise model configuration by parameters is given.

Industrial semiosis: founding the deployment of the ubiquitous information infrastructure

Abstract Increasingly, models and data pertaining to products, resources and industrial processes are being stored on computers. Moreover, corporate and personal computers and information systems are rapidly being connected into intranets, extranets, and a world wide web making ubiquitous information services for industry feasible, both from the technical and economical points of view. But whereas information and communication technology (ICT) developments are breathtaking, our methods to deploy these technologies in industry do not keep pace. They are developed slowly, heavily influenced by mature technologies, often at odds with newer technologies. Following an effort to bridge the gap between methods and technology, this paper presents the result of a fundamental investigation into the relationship between industrial networks on the one hand, and the possible services of ICT networks on the other hand. The result is a framework of industrial semiosis (FIS) which applies and further elaborates the concepts of semiotics in the context of industry. These concepts are technology-independent, but at the same time they support an easy characterization, evaluation, and inclusion of the services of new technologies. The framework is proposed to influence more concrete, directly applicable modelling research and information system development and implementation methods, as well as curriculum components covering information and automation systems and e-commerce.

A multi-level model-driven regime for value-added tax compliance in ERP systems

As the economy becomes global and ICT-reliant, approaches practiced in enterprise software product development and enterprise resource planning (ERP) system implementation must cope with increasingly complex situations induced by contemporary supply chain and regulations. Compliance with regulations in the market is one aspect of the requirements that enterprise software must meet. Recent research of KPMG IT Advisory has confirmed that where little attention is being paid to the value-added tax (VAT) issues during large ERP projects, there is a higher VAT-risk exposure. In a design-oriented approach, we first identify the stakeholders and their interests in the VAT compliance of ERP systems. Enterprise architecture (EA) and model driven engineering in a multi-level perspective serve as the source of solution patterns. The efficient solution of compliance problems builds upon stakeholders utilizing a set of interdependent models and methods that are suitably allocated to the public and proprietary domains.

Merging a Knowledge Systematisation Framework with a Mobile Agent Architecture

The MiViPoRo framework offers a general systematisation of knowledge in domains where work involves the interaction of processes in both the physical domain and the information infrastructure. For the domain of engineering and manufacturing the framework assumes a further division of the cybernetic domain and the physical domain into activity layers for observations and operations (manufacturing), and improvements and innovations (engineering).

A conceptual modeling technique for discrete event simulation of operational processes

A formal modeling technique, based on colored timed Petri net and UML static structure modeling languages is used to teach students to model their business process problem as a discrete event system, before they build a working simulation model in a simulation tool (in our case Arena). Combining Petri net and UML static structure diagrams, one can build an abstract, well defined and complete model. This model enables the simulation analyst to make an unambiguous, complete and yet easily readable model of the target operational process. The two most important classes of decisions that are reflected in the conceptual model are the choice of the real world details to be taken in or left out the model and the precise specification of the output parameters of the simulation. This paper describes the modeling technique and discusses its value in teaching and in the formulation of decision problems regarding operational processes.

Proxy Possible Flow Semantics for Enterprise Formulae and Artefact Possible Lives Models

An operational semantics is defined for enterprise formulae (EF) -a language for specifying enterprise models- and artefact possible lives models (APLM) -a language for specifying product (life cycle) models-. The semantics is explained by means of the MiViPoRo framework. The conceptual background for the paper is drawn from early definitions of syntax and semantics, and from work on the operational semantics of programming languages. The operational semantics of EF and APLM involves the possible flows of proxies in a network of cells.

Information infrastructure services for small and medium size manufacturers: the MI 2 CI project

Advanced information and communication technologies have become major enablers of manufacturing industry operations and product and process development.

The artefactual wheel-work and the information infrastructure

To support life cycle management for an increasing number of artefacts in a global economy, new functions must be implemented on top of the global information networks such as the worldwide web, extranets and intranets connecting databases and (product) data management systems. The artefactual wheel-work is a framework for systematizing the requirements for ubiquitous artefact life support services. This paper: (1) summarizes global trends in industry leading to an increased demand for life-cycle modelling; (2) introduces the so-called artefactual wheel-work as a framework for systematizing life-cycle related models and techniques; and (3) derives generic requirements for product life-cycle support services in a global information infrastructure.