Towards Seamless Interoperability In Collaborative Networks

The goal of achieving full interoperability is still not achieved, despite the high number of tools and infrastructures developed. The objective of this article is to present a framework aiming at supporting seamless interoperability in a business collaborative networked environment. An implementation example from the footwear sector validating the framework proposed is also described. 1 INTRODUCTION Collaborative Networks'(CNs) paradigm has emerged world wide as a way to increase organizations' efficiency and bring them added value. CNs consist of heterogeneous organizations with different competences but symbiotic interests, which join and efficiently combine their skills and resources to achieve a common objective (Chituc, Azevedo, 2006). In order to leverage the potential benefits of CNs, it is needed to develop operational infrastructures supporting inter-organizational operations and real time information exchange, so that independent organizations can work as a single integrated unit, while preserving their autonomy (Camarinha-Matos, et.al., 1998), (Camarinha-Matos, Afsarmanesh, 2003). Despite the relatively high number of tools and infrastructures supporting (or claiming to support) seamless interoperability in a collaborative networked environment (CNE), this goal is still unachieved (Pollock, 2001)(Camarinha-Matos, Afsarmanesh, 2003a,b). The objective of this article is to present a framework aiming at supporting seamless interoperability in a CNE. An operational infrastructure from the footwear sector, developed within the scope of a project pursued at national level, validating this framework, is then described. The rest of the paper is organized as follows. The next section addresses the concept of interoperability. Section three describes the framework proposed towards achieving seamless interoperability. An implementation example from the footwear industry is then described. The article concludes with a section addressing the needs for future research.