Mobile Tools for e-working in Geographically Distributed Teams – Cases: Electrolux Zanussi and Nokia Corporation

The multi-site, multi-process and complex organisational structure of world-wide enterprises, as well as the introduction of the new concepts of extended and virtual enterprises, are determining increased needs of advanced Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities for improving team work and distributed working methods in engineering, manufacturing and production processes. This paper reports on the approach and solutions proposed in the European project MOTION, started in the framework of the IST Programme, under Key Action II on New Methods of Work and eCommerce. MOTION addresses the development and validation of a novel distributed eWork architecture to support teamwork in large and extended enterprises, with validation in two relevant manufacturing environments of today consumers market: household appliances and mobile phones production. The paper presents end user requirements and outlines the technical approach followed in the project.