[ontolog-forum] CFP: International Conference on Enterprise Systems Theo

["Matt Hettinger" <mhettinger@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Ontolog Forum;

 

Apologies for any cross-posting.

 

Given the vigorous discussions that have taken place on a number of topics over the past few months, the call for participation and general conference announcement for the International Conference on Enterprise Systems Theory and Theory in Action below, following a specific list of topics for the "ontologist", may be of interest to many of you.

 

The conference is multi-disciplinary in nature. Specifically for the "ontologist", a partial list of topics includes:

• conceptualizations of enterprises *as* systems in the (general) systems theoretic sense
• languages for expressing conceptualizations and representing enterprises *as* systems
• ontological views and viewpoints on enterprises *as* systems
• ontology (sub) systems *as* systems in the (general) systems theoretic sense and their contribution to enterprises *as* systems and enterprise systems theory 
• ontology theories, ontology for ontology and application to enterprises as systems
• ontology / semiotic (e.g. semantic) interoperability between ontology / semiotic systems
• contributions of ontology systems to inter- and intra- enterprise system interoperability, especially between semantic domains
• relations between 1) Ontology, ontologies  and ontology systems internal to an enterprise, 2) to the enterprise as a whole and 3) to enterprise systems theory 
• relations between 1) Ontology, ontologies and ontology systems external to an enterprise, 2) to the enterprise as a whole and 3) to enterprise systems theory
• relations between 1) Ontology, ontologies and ontology systems, and 2) enterprise system classes (e.g. industries, markets, governments, etc.)
• relations between 1) Ontology, ontologies and ontology systems. and 2) semantics and theories of other knowledge domains / disciplines
• relations between 1) Ontology, ontologies and ontology systems and 2) enterprise system analysis and design especially with respect to Enterprise Architecture, service oriented architecture and (formal) modeling and architecture
• relations between ontology related standards and the systems family of disciplines.
• distinctions between ontology artifacts and other types of artifacts used to represent enterprise systems
• error and variance in constructing and interpreting ontologies
• domain and task ontologies within and between enterprise systems
• mereology for ontology systems and enterprise systems
• ontological grounding of data, information and knowledge
• ontology systems, and the contribution of ontology systems to the description, explanation and prediction of inter- and intra- enterprise risk, trust, obligations, responsibilities, etc.

 

Matthew K. Hettinger

Mathet Consulting, Inc. Organizer and Sponsor

===========================================================================================================

 

Call for Participation and General Announcement

 

International Conference on Enterprise Systems Theory and Theory in Action - 2007

Oct. 15th-17th 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wojcik Conference Center
Harper College
1200 West Algonquin Road
Palatine, Illinois
URL: www.enterprisesystemtheory.net

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You are invited to participate in the upcoming "International Conference on Enterprise Systems Theory and Theory in Action" - 2007, October 15th --17th at Harper College, Palatine Illinois (outside of Chicago).

 

The "International Conference on Enterprise Systems Theory, and Theory in Action - 2007" is a  unique multi-disciplinary event, focused on the formal / empirical representation of enterprises, and networks of enterprises, as systems in the (general) systems-theoretic sense. 

An enterprise system, some combination of goal-driven work(ers) and technology, utilizes knowledge of itself, structure and behavior, and of its economic, legal, and technical environments, to take action, adapt, and evolve (structurally and behaviorally) in response to changes in these environments.  An enterprise system as a whole, while transforming knowledge into action and action into knowledge, exhibits features of complexity, adaptability, learning, autonomy, identity, wholeness and partness, emergence, downward causation, self-organization, self-awareness, allopoiesis, etc. These features cannot be wholly described, explained, or predicted from the features of interacting virtual and concrete (sub) systems that make up the enterprise. Yet, it is these features that provide the background, internal environment, constraints, cognitive context, knowledge domains, etc. for goal and requirements specification, analysis and design, implementation, integration, interaction and interoperability of conceptual, logical and technical (sub) systems of all kinds. These (sub) systems / solutions, which address particular concerns as partial solutions with respect to the whole, in turn contribute to actions that take place at various organizational levels, distributed within and between enterprises. These actions ultimately contribute to enterprises as a whole, networked enterprises, and the economic, legal and technical environments enterprises are embedded in.   

There have been many conceptual, logical and technical advances made by enterprises of various types (e.g. business, government, education, standards bodies, and communities of practice) that may be considered as partial solutions, which other enterprises may include as a part.  However, those aspects of the enterprise as a whole system, from which these partial solutions are derived, have received relatively little attention. This is surprising in that it is these aspects that may be considered the roots of adaptation and evolution.

 

To address this gap in enterprise system knowledge, it is the intent of the International Conference on Enterprise Systems Theory and Theory in Action to provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge concerning enterprises *as* systems in constantly changing economic, legal, and technological environments. This conference is focused on:

 

(1) enterprises *as* systems in the (general) systems-theoretic sense (systemics and the systems family of disciplines)

 

(2) the formal and/or empirical representation of such systems for description, explanation and prediction (formal / empirical theory)

 

(3) the application of theory in analysis, design and operation of (inter-) enterprise systems and enterprises *as* systems

 

This exchange of knowledge among participants will initiate the formation of an open enterprise systems engineering discipline, utilizing, merging, and applying concepts and theories from the systems family of disciplines that includes, but is not limited to:

• Systems-of-Systems
• Complex Adaptive Systems
• Cybernetics
• Artificial Intelligence
• Control Theory
• Decision Theory
• Learning Theory
• Organization Theory
• Autopoiesis
• Allopoiesis
• Autonomy
• Context Theory

as well as concepts and theories from:

• Natural Systems (neurals, genetics, ecology, evolution)                   
• Computer and information science and technology 
• Economics (macro-, micro-, meso-, finance, accounting, etc.)
• Business
• Law (business law, statute, international law, regulations, contract law, etc.)
• Ontology
• Language (natural, formal)
• Semiotics (semantics, syntax, pragmatics)
• Measures/metrics 
• Action and Behavior (process, service, activity, task, events)
• Goals, objectives, requirements
• Cognition, reasoning, intelligence, learning
• Knowledge, information, data
• Security and privacy
• Risk, trust, obligations, responsibilities, consequences
• Communication(s)
• Enterprise architecture, service oriented architecture, formal modeling and architecture
• other relevant topics

The formal and empirical treatment of enterprises as holistic systems, merging theories from key disciplines into an (inter-) enterprise systems theory, has tremendous implications for the analysis, design and operation of enterprises of all kinds at strategic, tactical and operational levels: as well as for enterprise ecosystems, economic and legal ecosystems, industries, communities of practice and markets. It will enable knowledge and technology to be put into an enterprise context grounded in a systems theory for enterprises that could potentially enable enterprises to dynamically respond, adapt and evolve in real-time in the most optimized way with the least risk to changes in economic, legal, technical, and competitive environments. In addition, an (inter-) enterprise systems theory provides the theoretical grounding that is required  to create an (inter-) enterprise architecture engineering discipline. Such a theory would provide the foundation for inter- and intra- enterprise (business and technology) integration, interoperability and collaboration, locally and globally. Such a theory would also provide a foundation for the pervasive and ubiquitous application of economics and law within and between enterprises impacting intra- and inter-enterprise interactions in the context of imperfect information.

 

The scope of this conference includes those enterprise (sub)systems, virtual and concrete, business and technology, from which the enterprise emerges, and those (super)systems, that emerge from inter-enterprise interactions.

In general an enterprise may be considered a business, an educational organization, a government organization, a federation, a set of enterprises bound by law in some fashion, any set of cooperating / collaborating enterprises such as those in GRID systems, emergency management/response systems, standards bodies, etc.

 

Audience and Topic List

This conference is multi-disciplinary in nature. The intended audience for this conference includes theorists and practitioners of any discipline with an interest in enterprises *as* systems, enterprise systems theories, and the application of theory. Similarly, topic categories that are of interest are also multi-disciplinary in nature with a common theme of enterprises *as* systems. 

 

Critical Dates

June 15th, 2007: Paper / Presentation abstracts due
July 1st, 2007: Paper/ Presentation acceptance notification
August 15th, 2007: Paper / Presentation due with presenter picture (.jpg, .gif) and bio due

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