Business Alignment in Agile/Virtual Enterprise Integration

2011 ◽  
pp. 26-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik
Keyword(s):  
Business Strategy ◽  
Driving Force ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Market Opportunity ◽  
Enterprise Integration ◽  
Business Alignment ◽  
Enterprise Model ◽  
Business Opportunities ◽  
The Right ◽  
Required Quality

The concept of strategic alignment between business strategy and technology is essential for improving competitiveness. The driving force of business is to fully satisfy customer needs with the right products/services, at the right price, and with the required quality and responsiveness in a global competitive market. In this context, by alignment we mean the actions to be undertaken to gain synergy between business, that is, a market opportunity, and the provision of the required product, with the required specifications, at the required time, with the lowest cost and with the best possible return. In this chapter we focus on a leading organizational model, the Agile/Virtual Enterprise model, characterized by a fast reconfigurability or adaptability face to the dynamically changing market and introduce the concept of a Market of Resources as the environment able to assure a permanent alignment of the networked structure with market. We also propose alignment strategies between business opportunities and the creation/reconfiguration of the Agile/Virtual Enterprise that is expected to meet that opportunity.

scholarly journals Market of Resources for Virtual Enterprise Integration

2010 ◽  
pp. 220-226
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik ◽  
Paulo Silva Ávila
Keyword(s):  
Core Competencies ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Market Opportunity ◽  
Competitive Response ◽  
Enterprise Integration ◽  
Maximum Performance ◽  
Business Alignment ◽  
Market Requirements ◽  
Operation Phase ◽  
Collaborative Outsourcing

Most definitions of virtual enterprise (VE) incorporate the idea of extended and collaborative outsourcing to suppliers and subcontractors in order to achieve a competitive response to market demands (Webster, Sugden, & Tayles, 2004). As suggested by several authors (Browne & Zhang, 1999; Byrne, 1993; Camarinha-Matos & Afsarmanesh, 1999; Cunha, Putnik, & Ávila, 2000; Davidow & Malone, 1992; Preiss, Goldman, & Nagel, 1996), a VE consists of a network of independent enterprises (resources providers) with reconfiguration capability in useful time, permanently aligned with the market requirements, created to take profit from a specific market opportunity, and where each participant contributes with its best practices and core competencies to the success and competitiveness of the structure as a whole. Even during the operation phase of the VE, the configuration can change, to assure business alignment with the market demands, traduced by the identification of reconfiguration opportunities and continuous readjustment or reconfiguration of the VE network, to meet unexpected situations or to keep permanent competitiveness and maximum performance (Cunha & Putnik, 2002, 2005a, 2005b).

scholarly journals Market of Resources for Virtual Enterprise Integration

2010 ◽  
pp. 918-925 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik ◽  
Paulo Silva Ávila
Keyword(s):  
Core Competencies ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Market Opportunity ◽  
Competitive Response ◽  
Enterprise Integration ◽  
Maximum Performance ◽  
Business Alignment ◽  
Market Requirements ◽  
Operation Phase ◽  
Collaborative Outsourcing

Most definitions of virtual enterprise (VE) incorporate the idea of extended and collaborative outsourcing to suppliers and subcontractors in order to achieve a competitive response to market demands (Webster, Sugden, & Tayles, 2004). As suggested by several authors (Browne & Zhang, 1999; Byrne, 1993; Camarinha-Matos & Afsarmanesh, 1999; Cunha, Putnik, & Ávila, 2000; Davidow & Malone, 1992; Preiss, Goldman, & Nagel, 1996), a VE consists of a network of independent enterprises (resources providers) with reconfiguration capability in useful time, permanently aligned with the market requirements, created to take profit from a specific market opportunity, and where each participant contributes with its best practices and core competencies to the success and competitiveness of the structure as a whole. Even during the operation phase of the VE, the configuration can change, to assure business alignment with the market demands, traduced by the identification of reconfiguration opportunities and continuous readjustment or reconfiguration of the VE network, to meet unexpected situations or to keep permanent competitiveness and maximum performance (Cunha & Putnik, 2002, 2005a, 2005b).

Environments for Virtual Enterprise Integration

2010 ◽  
pp. 645-662
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik ◽  
Paulo Silva Ávila
Keyword(s):  
Communication Technology ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Organizational Model ◽  
Organizational Models ◽  
Enterprise Integration ◽  
Dynamically Reconfigurable ◽  
Enterprise Model ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Enterprise Creation

The virtual enterprise model is an emerging approach in answer to the new requirements of the business environment, relying on dynamically-reconfigurable partnerships, with extremely high performances, strongly time-oriented while being highly focused on cost and quality, in permanent alignment with the market, and strongly supported by information and communication technology, dictating a paradigm face shift to the traditional organizational models. Networking and reconfiguration dynamics are the main characteristics of this model,requiring enabling and supporting environments, at bearable costs. Some existing technologies and Internet-based environments can partially support this organizational model, but the reconfiguration dynamics can only be assured by environments able to manage, control, and enable networking and dynamics in virtual enterprise creation/reconfiguration. Several environments are introduced in the chapter, and particular focus is given to the market of resources, an environment coping with the requirements of the virtual enterprise model.

Environments for VE Integration

2010 ◽  
pp. 1020-1029
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cunha
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Market Opportunity ◽  
Competitive Response ◽  
Maximum Performance ◽  
Business Alignment ◽  
Market Requirements ◽  
Operation Phase ◽  
Collaborative Outsourcing

Most definitions of virtual enterprise (VE) incorporate the idea of extended and collaborative outsourcing to suppliers and subcontractors in order to achieve a competitive response to market demands (Webster, Sugden, & Tayles, 2004). As suggested by several authors (Browne & Zhang, 1999; Byrne, 1993; Camarinha- Matos & Afsarmanesh, 1999; Cunha, Putnik, & Ávila, 2000; Davidow & Malone, 1992; Preiss, Goldman, & Nagel, 1996), a VE consists of a network of independent enterprises (resources providers) with reconfiguration capability in useful time, permanently aligned with the market requirements, created to take profit from a specific market opportunity, and where each participant contributes with her best practices and core competencies to the success and competitiveness of the structure as a whole. Even during the operation phase of the VE, the configuration can change to assure business alignment with the market demands, traduced by the identification of reconfiguration opportunities and constant readjustment or reconfiguration of the VE network to meet unexpected situations or to keep permanent competitiveness and maximum performance (Cunha & Putnik, 2002, 2005a, 2005b)

Market of Resources

2010 ◽  
pp. 891-898 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik
Keyword(s):  
Enterprise Architecture ◽  
Reference Model ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Organizational Model ◽  
Enterprise Integration ◽  
Dynamically Reconfigurable ◽  
Main Requirement ◽  
Business Alignment ◽  
Monitoring And Enforcement ◽  
High Dynamics

Partners search and negotiation, selection, establishment of contracts, virtual enterprise integration, monitoring and enforcement of contracts, and so forth are complex and risky activities required by the virtual enterprise (VE) model. The need to keep a close alignment with the market environment in permanent change implies the high dynamics of the organizations’ structure reconfigurability, introducing a new concept of dynamically reconfigurable global networked structures, traduced by the agile/virtual enterprise (A/VE) organizational model. In the BM_virtual enterprise architecture reference model, Putnik (2001) presents “fast adaptability” or “fast reconfigurability” as the main enabler of business alignment and the main requirement for competitiveness.

Environments for Virtual Enterprise Integration

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 71-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cruz-Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik
Keyword(s):  
Communication Technology ◽  
Private Information ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Enterprise Integration ◽  
Dynamically Reconfigurable ◽  
Enterprise Model ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Enterprise Creation ◽  
Effective Integration

The Virtual Enterprise model relies on dynamically reconfigurable collaborative networks, with extremely high performances, strongly time-oriented while highly focused on cost and quality, in permanent alignment with the market, and strongly supported by information and communication technology. Networking and reconfiguration dynamics are the main characteristics of this model, which claim for enabling and supporting environments, assuring cost-effective integration in useful time and preventing the risk of leakage of private information about products or processes. Some existing technologies and Internet-based environments can partially support this organizational model, but the reconfiguration dynamics can only be assured by environments able to manage, control, and enable virtual enterprise creation/operation/reconfiguration. Several environments are introduced in the article, and particular focus is given to the Market of Resources, an environment coping with the requirements of the Virtual Enterprise model.

Environments for Virtual Enterprise Integration

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik ◽  
Paulo Silva Ávila
Keyword(s):  
Communication Technology ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Organizational Model ◽  
Organizational Models ◽  
Enterprise Integration ◽  
Dynamically Reconfigurable ◽  
Enterprise Model ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Enterprise Creation

The virtual enterprise model is an emerging approach in answer to the new requirements of the business environment, relying on dynamically-reconfigurable partnerships, with extremely high performances, strongly time-oriented while being highly focused on cost and quality, in permanent alignment with the market, and strongly supported by information and communication technology, dictating a paradigm face shift to the traditional organizational models. Networking and reconfiguration dynamics are the main characteristics of this model,requiring enabling and supporting environments, at bearable costs. Some existing technologies and Internet-based environments can partially support this organizational model, but the reconfiguration dynamics can only be assured by environments able to manage, control, and enable networking and dynamics in virtual enterprise creation/reconfiguration. Several environments are introduced in the chapter, and particular focus is given to the market of resources, an environment coping with the requirements of the virtual enterprise model.

Environments for Virtual Enterprise Integration

2011 ◽  
pp. 194-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cruz-Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik
Keyword(s):  
Private Information ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Organizational Model ◽  
Enterprise Integration ◽  
Dynamically Reconfigurable ◽  
Enterprise Model ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Enterprise Creation ◽  
Effective Integration

The Virtual Enterprise model relies on dynamically reconfigurable collaborative networks, with extremely high performances, strongly time-oriented while highly focused on cost and quality, in permanent alignment with the market, and strongly supported by information and communication technology. Networking and reconfiguration dynamics are the main characteristics of this model, which claim for enabling and supporting environments, assuring cost-effective integration in useful time and preventing the risk of leakage of private information about products or processes. Some existing technologies and Internet-based environments can partially support this organizational model, but the reconfiguration dynamics can only be assured by environments able to manage, control, and enable virtual enterprise creation/operation/reconfiguration. Several environments are introduced in the article, and particular focus is given to the Market of Resources, an environment coping with the requirements of the Virtual Enterprise model.

Requirements for Agile/Virtual Enterprise Intetgration

2011 ◽  
pp. 98-131
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Space Dimension ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Solution Space ◽  
Market Opportunity ◽  
Selection Models ◽  
Business Alignment ◽  
Extended Life ◽  
Business Requirements

This chapter introduces the requirements for Agile/Virtual Enterprise (A/VE) integration, discusses reconfigurability dynamics and business alignment and proposes a virtual enterprise extended life cycle. The requirement of dynamic reconfigurability of the A/VE model is introduced in and the causes of reconfiguration needs are presented. This chapter also clarifies the concepts of basic resources and complex resources, and discusses concepts related with selection complexity, selection models and solution space dimension. It gives examples of reconfigurability dynamics, and introduces three dynamics parameters. The need of keeping the A/VE aligned with business requirements results in A/VE reconfiguration. The permanent business alignment of the A/VE requires a high reconfiguration dynamics. This chapter introduces a referential for A/VE alignment, involving the market opportunity (or the product required by the market), the A/VE project and the resources providers. It also presents the main functionalities that must be assured to support the implementation of the A/VE model. Finally, this chapter presents a new VE lifecycle, the Agile/Virtual Enterprise extended life cycle.

Environments for Virtual Enterprise Integration

2008 ◽  
pp. 1178-1197
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Cunha ◽  
Goran D. Putnik ◽  
Paulo Silva Ávila
Keyword(s):  
Communication Technology ◽  
Virtual Enterprise ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Organizational Model ◽  
Organizational Models ◽  
Enterprise Integration ◽  
Dynamically Reconfigurable ◽  
Enterprise Model ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Enterprise Creation

The virtual enterprise model is an emerging approach in answer to the new requirements of the business environment, relying on dynamically-reconfigurable partnerships, with extremely high performances, strongly time-oriented while being highly focused on cost and quality, in permanent alignment with the market, and strongly supported by information and communication technology, dictating a paradigm face shift to the traditional organizational models. Networking and reconfiguration dynamics are the main characteristics of this model,requiring enabling and supporting environments, at bearable costs. Some existing technologies and Internet-based environments can partially support this organizational model, but the reconfiguration dynamics can only be assured by environments able to manage, control, and enable networking and dynamics in virtual enterprise creation/reconfiguration. Several environments are introduced in the chapter, and particular focus is given to the market of resources, an environment coping with the requirements of the virtual enterprise model.

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