Ricardo Mejía

Virtual Enterprise Broker: Processes, Methods and Tools

The role of the broker in nowadays e-business is getting special attention. This paper presents a description of an e-broker, named Virtual Enterprise Broker (VEB). The core processes, methods and tools used by the VEB in order to fulfill the customer’s requirements are described. The four core processes of the VEB are: Analysis of Market Requirements, Project Planning, Project execution and Customer Service. All of these core processes requires the use of different methods and tools. Three proposed information systems to support the VEB activities are presented: Enterprise Core Competence Database, Enterprise Capability Broker Matrix and Broker Capacity Planning Tool. Finally, experiences in creating Integrated Supply Chains between SME, members of Virtual Industry Clusters, to OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) in the Mexican Industry will be presented as case studies to demonstrate the use of the methods and tools presented in this paper.

Core processes, methods and e-services to support Virtual Enterprise Brokerage

The role of the broker in present day e-business is getting special attention. This paper presents a description of an e-broker, called a Virtual Enterprise Broker (VEB). The core processes, methods and tools used by the VEB in order to fulfil the customers requirements are illustrated. A description of the four core processes executed by the VEB is presented: analysis of market requirements, project planning, project execution, and customer service. All of these core processes are supported by the use of different methods and e-services. Finally, some case studies of brokerage activities are discussed to demonstrate how brokerage services are undertaken to exploit new business opportunities.

Designing a Hub to Offer E-Engineering Brokerage Services for Virtual Enterprises

The integration between customer and suppliers in Virtual Organizations requires a better collaboration through the use of Information and Communication Technologies. The phases throughout product development process are executed among engineers in different companies, probably geographically distributed. Engineering service providers can work as Engineering HUBs to offer e-services for industrial networks collaboration in virtual product development teams. This paper describes different e-services offered by engineering HUBs, as well as a classification of the information technologies needed to create collaborative environments. Web services are proposed as an alternative technological solution to build- up engineering e-services. Likewise, applications and tools which have been identified to support collaboration among engineers will be described based on the experiences of two pilot projects.

E-Services for Virtual Enterprise Brokerage

Nowadays the global competitive environment has special impact on Virtual Business development. A special issue related to the exploitation of global business opportunities is the role played by Information Technologies in Virtual Enterprises. There have been several e-application developments to support key processes of a Virtual Enterprise Broker (VEB). However, it is important to design and develop not only e-applications, but also e-Services that are easy to implement and have an impact in the performance of VEB activities. This paper describes a methodology to evaluate, structure and implement e-Services in order to assure that these applications will improve the operations of the VE. These e-services will demonstrate how their implementation improve the performance of the VEB activities in the creation of Integrated Supply Chains between Small and Medium Enterprises (members of Virtual Industry Clusters) to OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers).

Collaborative Engineering Environments for Virtual Organisations

Collaborative Engineering Environments (CEE) have become important in Virtual Organisations (VO), they enable collaboration among engineering groups, supported by tools and methodologies that allow knowledge sharing and engineering activities in real time, regardless of their locations. A platform that integrates and facilitates VO operation focused in manufactured product development is an important tool that supports a rapid respond to customers, and improves communication among its members. This paper presents a CEE methodology implemented in a real manufacturing VO, for improving the product transfer process where coordinators of each business opportunity easily manage VO partners and information during the VO operation.

PROCESS IMPROVEMENT IN A VIRTUAL ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT USING COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract Collaborative Engineering Environments (CEE) have become really important in Virtual Organizations (VO) because they enable the coordination and collaboration among engineering groups, supported by tools and methodologies that enable intellectual capital sharing and engineering activities in real time, among organizations regardless of their locations. A platform that integrates and facilitates the operation in Virtual Organizations focused in manufactured product development, is an important tool that supports a rapid respond to customers, and improve the communication among its members. This paper present a way to improve business process in a VO based on the development and use of a CEE. The methodology presented in this paper was implemented in a real manufacturing VO, improving the product transfer process: the coordinators of each business opportunity easily manage VO information, and VO partners were totally involved during the process.

Integrated Product Development in Virtual Enterprises Supported by Web-Based Applications

The era of information age and globalization has created a situation of increased international competition. In this scenario the tasks of design and manufacturing are executed by different facilities usually at different geographically locations and the information has to be passed among the different phases of product development. In order to support better all the Product Life Cycle activities, modeling tools and computer applications have been created. On this research project Web-based applications have been developed between UC-Berkeley and ITESM to demonstrate how virtual collaborative product development can be achieved in Virtual Enterprises. A case study is presented to demonstrate how collaborative design for High Tech Products can be undertaken.

Collaborative E-Engineering Environments to Support Integrated Product Development

Nowadays global product development tasks are executed by different facilities usually at different geographically location, where design and manufacturing teams must work remotely. This situation requires three major issues to be tackled: (1) implementation of a collaborative Integrated Product Development process among the different companies participating in the Product Life Cycle activities; (2) establishment of environments that foster the coordination and cooperation among engineering groups; (3) integration of software tools that allows the exchange of information and knowledge among engineers in an effective and efficient manner. A reference model for integrated product, process and manufacturing systems development is described and a methodology to implement Collaborative e-Engineering Environments is proposed to provide a model to transfer the e-engineering concepts to the industry. A case study is described that applied the proposed methodologies to set-up a collaborative environment for high tech product development using low-cost technologies.

Collaborative planning of a manufacturing design project through a novel E-engineering hub

Abstract Due to globalization of economies, organizations have started a new way of thinking in projects development. New needs arise on working practices as well as supporting Information and Communication Technologies. This article describes a novel concept of an e-engineering HUB for remote collaboration on engineering partnerships. It offers collaborative project planning services that focus on collaborative, tactical decision making that goes into the formation, work planning, contracting and trust building on both sides of an e-engineering partnership. An e-Hub software prototype has been developed and a domain-specific scenario originated in the manufacturing-engineering domain has been evaluated.