Ontological Evaluation of Scheer’s Reference Model for Production Planning and Control Systems

Within the information systems field, reference models have been known for many years. A reference model is a conceptual framework and may be used as a blueprint for information systems development. Despite the relevance of reference model quality, little research has been undertaken on their systematical analysis and evaluation. In this chapter, we evaluate Scheer’s reference model for production planning and control systems from an ontological point of view. The evaluation is based on the Bunge-Wand-Weber ontology. Several ontological anomalies are found in Scheer’s reference model. The obtained knowledge is useful for selecting, applying, and extending the reference model.