Models of Cyberinfrastructure-Based Enterprises and Their Engineering

Abstract

The object of the analysis here is to understand how to simultaneously maximize the value to customer and the economy of scale, for enterprises that rely on knowledge workers and digital production factors. Cyber-infrastructure, in this study, is defined to be the fusion of information technology and information resources, including the elements that integrate persons and the environment with the enterprises. Computerized manufacturing, e-commerce/e-business, and on-demand business/services all represent the evolution of cyber-infrastructure-based/assisted enterprises. The evolution is analyzed to be driven by a new mode of micro-economical production function: the Output-Input Fusing paradigm. In this context, the value to client/customer is acquired with on-demand co-production, and the economy of scale is achieved through concurrent co-productions with the assistance of the cyber-infrastructure. Basic principles for planning such enterprises are derived from previous results. A ``thought model{''} for the design, administration, and processing of the new cyber-infrastructure is presented. Particular new results, including a specific design for person-environment-enterprise interaction, are proposed.