© Institut für Wirtschaftsinformatik, Universität des Saarlandes 1998 1 MARVIN (CO) MARVIN Kick-Off, Oslo 18./19.01.1999 Presentation WP 3 Clemens Odendahl

© Institut für Wirtschaftsinformatik, Universität des Saarlandes 1998 1MARVIN (CO)

MARVIN Kick-Off, Oslo 18./19.01.1999

Presentation WP 3Presentation WP 3

Clemens OdendahlInstitute for Information Systems (IWi)

University of SaarlandSaarbrücken, Germany


Structure of the presentation

Virtual Enterprises: Definition and Contents

Communication in Virtual Enterprises and its

consequences for MARVIN

DEVICE: Prototype of an electronic cooperation

exchange for Virtual Enterprises

Intelligent Software Agents and its application in

MARVIN

Outlook


Definition of a Virtual Enterprise

A Virtual Enterprise is a cooperation form of legally independentEnterprises, institutions and/or individuals, who produce goodsand services on the basis of a common understanding of business.The cooperating entities participating in the horizontal and/or verticalcooperation mainly with their core competencies and appear oppositethird parties as one company.

Nevertheless there is no real institutionalisation of central manage-ment functions for organising, guiding and developing the VirtualEnterprise. The necessary requirement of coordination and adjustent is done via suitable information and communication systems.

The Virtual Enterprise is connected with a special mission and endswith this mission.


Virtualisation Directions


Business Networks

Large-scale enterprise

Small- or medium-scaleenterprise


Decentral vs. Integrated Communication

ParticipantsIntegration Tool

n²-n communication channels

Decentral Communication

Integrated Communication

2n communication channels


Communication in MARVIN


Shipyard

Class society

InsuranceShip manager

AuthoritiesTugs


Life Cycle of a Virtual Enterprise


DEVICECooperation Exchange for Virtual Enterprises


Selection of the Participants

Participants

Filter 5 Previous Participation

Filter 4 Price

Filter 3 Capicity

Filter 2

Filter 1 Competence

Parameter


Concept of a system provider


Software Agents

Agent = autonomous, intelligent unit, which precepts environmental information via sensors, processes this information and then executesactions via effectors.

agent

humanagent

robotic agent software agent

web agent

mobile stationary


System Architecture


Object communication


Integration Function


Communication via the Integration Tool


Definition of Workflow

Generally, it is not possible to administer an entire business processwith one application software system. a variety of systems (for sales, purchasing, manufacturing or accounting)

Even integrated standard application packages have gaps whichhave to be filled by custom systems or standard applications fromother vendors.

None of these systems is individually capable of determining thestatus of the entire process (for example, every processing stateof a particular order). It therefore makes sense to allocate the responsibility for comprehensive process control to an explicit system level rather than distributing it across several systems.

This level is called “workflow”


Business Agent

BusinessAgen t

P r o z e ß s t e l l e n


Intr

a-o

rgan

izat

ion

al C

om

mu

nic

atio

n

Inter-organizational Communication

A B

Enterprise

Plant

Department

Workplace

...Transfer of the Leitstand Concept to Enterprise Networks

Multistage Distributed Leitstand Organization


The Manufacturer as Supplier

Source: LOGISTIK HEUTE, July 1998

Whether “Made in Germany” or “Made in Finland” ...

... in the end there is the same model of the new Boxster


Supply Chain Network

Producer LineA

Producer-IndependentLine

Producer LineB

Sub-SupplyLayer

SupplyLayer

ManufacturingLayer

DistributionLayer

Future competition forces the interconnection between Supply Chains


Sketch of the MARVIN Architecture

Simple architecture

Class society

Shipyard

Insurance

Others ?

Web-basedintegration

engine

Ship manager

Tugs

Authorities

Process controlData flowTranslator

ordersship data orders

ship datainvoice

orderscertificatessurvey data


Success Criterias

End Results:• realistic goals• user friendly• meet markets needs

Process:• follow the plan (project programme)• good interaction between the partners (web site)• marketing of the project and its results during process of the project


Risks

IMPORTANT:

Sharing of the vision! (common understanding)What can be done and what will be the result?What can not be done?

We need good and intensive communicationwith end-user! (is one ship-owner enough?)

Documents

© Institut für Wirtschaftsinformatik, Universität des Saarlandes 1998 1 MARVIN (CO) MARVIN Kick-Off, Oslo 18./19.01.1999 Presentation WP 3 Clemens Odendahl