Enterprise Ontology [electronic resource] : A Human-Centric Approach to Understanding the Essence of Organisation /

Part A: Introduction -- 1 A history of organisation and ICT -- 2 Introduction to Enterprise Engineering -- 3 Introduction to Enterprise Ontology -- Part B: Theories -- 4 The Enterprise Engineering theories -- 5 The FI theory - understanding factual knowledge and information -- 6 The MU theory - understanding models and modelling -- 7 The TAO theory - understanding function and construction -- 8 The PSI theory - understanding the operation of organisations -- 9 The DELTA theory - understanding discrete event systems -- 10 The OMEGA theory - understanding the construction of organisations -- 11 The ALPHA theory - understanding the essence of organisations -- Part C: Applications -- 12 The DEMO methodology -- 13 Exercise: case Fixit -- 14 Exercise: case Pizzeria -- 15 Exercise: case Rent-A-Car -- 16 Exercise: case Library -- 17 Exercise: case PoliGyn -- 18 Exercise: case GloLog -- 19 Real-life applications of DEMO -- 20 DEMO enhanced method engineering -- Glossary.

Enterprise ontology is one of the conceptual pillars of enterprise engineering, next to enterprise design and enterprise governance, together accomplishing the goals of intellectual manageability, organisational concinnity and social devotion. By revealing the essence of an enterprise’s organisation, enterprise ontology addresses business processes, data and rules in a fundamental and truly integrated way. In addition, it provides deep insight into and broad overview over complex organisational transformations. The book is divided into three parts. Part A is an introduction in enterprise engineering and enterprise ontology. Part B explores the theories underlying enterprise ontology, explaining the foundations of each theory, the elaborations in practical methods and techniques, and the relationships with other comparable approaches. Part C presents the practical application of the theories. It includes a comprehensive summary of the DEMO methodology and the DEMO specification language, as well as exercises and applications of DEMO in various business areas. It also features a chapter on combining DEMO with comparable approaches to modelling business processes, data and rules, to the benefit of the latter. Discussing the theoretical foundations of enterprise ontology and its practical applications in equal measure, this book is the principal textbook in courses on enterprise engineering. Since it unites elements from management science and information systems engineering, it is also relevant to students and professionals in either field.