Are Workers Knowledge Rich Business Objects?

Nigel Phillips

Centre for Information and Organisational Studies

School of Computing Information Systems and Mathematics

South Bank University

London

e-mail phillinp@sbu.ac.uk

Abstract

Learning from the science of complexity is seen as centrally important by the Business Objects Design and Implementation Workshop and the Knowledge Management Coalition (KMC). There is much common ground between the concerns of these two groups. Central to both is the concept of Complex Adaptive Systems. A meta-model of organisations based on the Organisations as Complex Evolving Systems (OACES) framework is developed. Combined with extensions to Business Object Architecture proposed by Sims and others this is seen to lead to an Enterprise Meta-Model that provides a common core architecture for KM, BO and Workflow Management.

Patel , D., Sutherland, J., Miller, J., (Eds.) Business Object Design and Implementation V: OOPSLA'99 Workshop Proceedings. Springer, 1999 (full text available at the Workshop).

References

Firesmith, 1998            Firesmith, D. Krutsch, S. Stowe, M, Hendley, G. Documenting a Complete Java Application Using Open. Addison-Wesley, 1998.

Firestone, 1999            Firestone, J. Enterprise Knowledge Management Modeling and Distributed Knowledge Management Systems. Executive Information Systems Inc. White Paper No. Twelve. http://dkms.com/EKMDKMS.html.

Holland, 1995              Holland, J. Hidden Order: How Adaptation Builds Complexity. Addison-Wesley, 1995.

Holland, 1998              Holland, J. Emergence - From Chaos To Order. Oxford University Press, 1998.

Hurzum, 1998              Hersum, P. Sims, O. The Business Component Approach. Proceedings of the Business Objects Workshop IV 1998.

Introna, 1998               Introna, I. Complexity Theory and Social Systems: Is there a match? Proceedings of Organisations As Complex Adaptive Systems. ISBN 0902683403.

Mandelbrot, 1999        Mandelbrot, B. A Multifractal Walk Down Wall Street. Scientific American, Febuary 1999.

Mitleton-Kelly, 1998    Mitleton-Kelly, E. Organisations As Complex Evolving Systems. Proceedings of Organisations As Complex Adaptive Systems. ISBN 0902683403.

OMG, 1998                OMG Document bom/98-10-01, Roadmap for the Business Object Initiative: Supporting Enterprise Distributed Computing.

Santanu, 1997              Aantanu, P. Park, E. Chaar, J. Essential Requirements for a Workflow Standard. Proceedings Business Object Workshop III, 1997.

Schmid, 1998              Schmid, H. Riebisch, M. Heverhagen, T. Liessmann, H. A Business Objects Framework Architecture. Proceedings of Business Object Workshop IV 1998.

Schulze, 1996              Schlze, W. Bohm, M, and Meyer-Wenger, K. Services of Workflow Objects and Workflow Meta-Objects in OMG-compliant environments, Business Objects workshop II, 1996.

Stewart, 1997              Stewart, I. Cohen, J. Figments of Reality. Cambridge University Press, 1997

Sutherland, 1998          Sutherland, J. Business Object Component Architectures: A Target Application Area for Complex Adaptive Systems Research. Proceedings of Business Objects Workshop IV, 1998.

Swanstrom, 1998         Swanstrom, E. What is Knowledge Management? Knowledge Management Consortium (Draft to be published John Wiley and Sons).