Computational Ontologies and Information Systems I: Foundations

This paper provides a state-of-the-art review about computational ontologies to raise awareness about this research area in the IS discipline and to explore areas where IS researchers can engage in fruitful research. This paper discusses the basic foundations and definitions pertaining to the field of computational ontologies. It reviews the intersection of computational ontologies with the IS discipline. It also discusses methods and guidelines for developing computational ontologies. The paper concludes with recommendations for important and emerging directions for research. The technical aspects of ontologies are presented in a companion paper [Sharman et al., 2004]. The companion paper provides a comprehensive review of the formalisms, languages, and tools used for specifying and implementing computational ontologies.