A Design Theory for e-Service Environments: The Interoperability Challenge

Abstract

Abstract. The delivery of e-services across organizational boundaries poses a number of issues in terms of design of inter-organizational systems that support service delivery effectively. In this context interoperability emerges as a mandatory requirement for the design of Information Technology (IT) platforms supporting collaborative e-service environments. In this paper we address this issue by presenting a design theory for IT platforms supporting e-services based on both a deep understanding of the interoperability concept and a design research approach. Through the analysis of a cooperation framework developed in the context of an EU funded project, we instantiate the theory by providing the concrete example of a solution addressing this design problem.

Decision Making in Supply Chains and Value Networks: The Beer Game Evolution

“…In a Virtual Enterprise (VE), manufacturers no longer produce complete products in isolated facilities. They operate as nodes in a network of suppliers, customers, engineers, and other specialized service functions 16,17,18 . In such contexts, transaction costs are a key issue to be taken into account 19,20 , and some formal representation has been proposed in the literature for modeling issues such as transaction costs and risks in the VirtuE model 21 .…”