Modelling Virtual Enterprises and the Character of their Interactions

In this paper we introduce the need for a formalised way of describing an organisation. We motivate this in the context of requiring the ability to support the creation of virtual enterprises. We introduce a number of key enterprise modelling concepts from the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) Enterprise Viewpoint. We then use these concepts to describe some of our work-in-progress for characterising the nature of interactions between roles in an enterprise, the conflicts that may arise from these interactions and a consistent approach to resolving such conflicts. We demonstrate this work through use of an example describing an organisation, and the creation of a virtual enterprise within this organisation. We conclude the paper by discussion some of the issues that this raises and how we intend to pursue this work