An Agents’ Model Using Ontologies and Web Services for Creating and Managing Virtual Enterprises

Abstract

Currently, the economic competition has become very tough where successful companies find themselves obliged to develop their organizations and diversify their work strategies. Thereby, virtual enterprises concept imposes itself and overcomes geographical constraints by allowing companies to cooperate and address their shortcomings through exchanging their services and skills. The present paper proposes a virtual enterprise model based on the use of agents endorsed by the use of ontologies and web services. The coupling of these concepts allows reducing the high costs associated with the use of technology and improves flexibility and intelligence both in the negotiation process through the selection of the best partners, and in the managing process by ensuring the effective cooperation between partners.

Digital Transformation of Virtual Enterprises for Providing Collaborative Services in Smart Cities

“…In this challenging and difficult situation, stakeholders and partners must develop and implement innovative and new strategies to provide services to citizens [11]. Amongst the most inventive initiatives being employed by enterprises in cities sphere is the concept of VE [12].…”

“…Virtuality VE deploy ICT that enables geographically dispersed businesses to connect with each other in achieving mutual business goal [14]. ICT is deployed to support the coordination of each members owned assets [12] and decreases transaction costs [11].…”

“…Dynamics VE are mostly dynamic, short lived [12], and all partners have same rights where there is no leading enterprise in the consortium [11].…”

“…Flexibility VE have tactical goals to exploit adaptability towards societal changes [12]. Thus, VE has a flexible logistic structure with rules that renders it to be adaptable.…”

“…VE is a predominant area that is usually referred to as an extended enterprise or virtual corporation [19]. Accordingly, VE is a dynamically reconfigurable networked of enterprises that shares information and/or knowledge, resources and processes to meet a fast changing window of opportunities [10,12]. Although, VE consists of several enterprises, the service they provide appears as a sole service to the society.…”