Web-based interactions support for information systems

Abstract

Work organization, business innovation and IT have enhanced the distributed nature enterprise information systems. Information systems today are made up of subsystems running on heterogeneous IT platforms with varying implementations of business objects and processes increasing the dual risks of (i) inconsistency of business objects views and (ii) inefficiency of processes. This paper frames this problem as lack of representation and implementation of interactions among the subsystems and external sources. It proposes an interaction support system to make interactions an explicit element of the Enterprise Information System like data and operations. It describes a solution where the interaction elements are encapsulated into a separate subsystem and located in a web server to be used by other subsystems to exchange and share data and to perform processes with complete transparency. We argue that such Interaction Support System may provide global, unified and consistent view of business objects and synergy of processes.