Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:46:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FredericoASL_TESE.pdf: 2802303 bytes, checksum: be814c8392c7d14ab8b3a30bbd50da04 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-11-18 / One of the current challenges of Ubiquitous Computing is the development of complex applications, those are more than simple alarms triggered by sensors or simple systems to configure the environment according to user preferences. Those applications are hard to develop since they are composed by services provided by different middleware and it is needed to know the peculiarities of each of them, mainly the communication and context models. This thesis presents OpenCOPI, a platform which integrates various services providers, including context provision middleware. It provides an unified ontology-based context model, as well as an environment that enable easy development of ubiquitous applications via the definition of semantic workflows that contains the abstract description of the application. Those semantic workflows are converted into concrete workflows, called execution plans. An execution plan consists of a workflow instance containing activities that are automated by a set of Web services. OpenCOPI supports the automatic Web service selection and composition, enabling the use of services provided by distinct middleware in an independent and transparent way. Moreover, this platform also supports execution adaptation in case of service failures, user mobility and degradation of services quality. The validation of OpenCOPI is performed through the development of case studies, specifically applications of the oil industry. In addition, this work evaluates the overhead introduced by OpenCOPI and compares it with the provided benefits, and the efficiency of OpenCOPI s selection and adaptation mechanism / Um dos principais desafios atuais da computa??o ub?qua ? o desenvolvimento de aplica??es complexas, que consistem em mais do que simples alarmes disparados por sensores ou ferramentas para configurar o ambiente de acordo com prefer?ncias dos usu?rios. Tais aplica??es s?o dif?ceis de desenvolver uma vez que envolve uso de servi?os que s?o providos por diferentes middleware, sendo necess?rio conhecer as peculiaridades de cada um deles, principalmente no que diz respeito ao modelo de comunica??o e ao modelo de representa??o de informa??es de contexto. Essa tese de doutorado apresenta o OpenCOPI, uma plataforma para integra??o de diferentes middleware de provis?o de contexto que fornece um servi?o de contexto unificado e baseado em ontologias, bem como um ambiente que facilita o desenvolvimento das aplica??es ub?quas atrav?s da defini??o de workflows sem?nticos com a descri??o abstrata da aplica??o. Esses workflows sem?nticos s?o transformados em workflows concretos, chamados de planos de execu??o. Um plano de execu??o ? em uma inst?ncia de um workflow contendo atividades que s?o automatizadas por um conjunto de servi?os Web. O OpenCOPI suporta composi??o e sele??o autom?tica de servi?os Web, possibilitando o uso transparente de servi?os de contexto providos por diferentes middleware. Essa plataforma tamb?m fornece suporte para adapta??o da execu??o das aplica??es em caso de falha de servi?os, mobilidade do usu?rio ou degrada??o da qualidade do servi?o. A valida??o do OpenCOPI ? realizada atrav?s de estudos de caso, especificamente aplica??es da ind?stria do petr?leo e g?s (monitoramento de po?os e de dutos de transporte de petr?leo). Al?m disso, esse trabalho avalia o overhead introduzido pelo OpenCOPI, contrastando com os seus benef?cios, e tamb?m avalia a efici?ncia dos mecanismos de sele??o e adapta??o

The project ClinicSpace aims to fill gaps in current clinical systems, regarding to the characteristics of pervasive computing tasks and clinical activities support to the user (physician). The architecture of the model ClinicSpace, built from the perspective given by the activity theory, it is composed of several modules that interconnected offer the features needed in a system geared to clinical pervasive end-user. One of these modules is the treatment of the clinical tasks. This work holds a discussion on the present requirements for the treatment of the clinical tasks, defining an architecture to link them to the tasks of the user, allowing context customization and automatic entry of data. The customization is achieved through the use of Programmable Elements of Context, which are represented by actuators, physical or logical, responsible for providing the system capacity of automatic executions, based on the parameters specified by the user. Yet the automatic data comes from the implicit way of obtaining these, the information used by applications that the user performs in the course of their duties. For this, an architecture was set up to support the customization and the semantic specification of data used. Building such features extended the pervasive middleware EXEHDA, modifying the already existing services and adding new ones. The main contribution of this work is the interconnection between the components that make up the architecture, building a unique view of the context of a task from the perspective of the necessary data for it and the ability to be customized by the user. Thus, it reduces the need for explicit data entry, and it contributes to the reducing rejections of its adoption of clinical systems in highly dynamic environments such as hospitals. / O projeto ClinicSpace tem por objetivo preencher as lacunas existentes nos sistemas clínicos atuais, no que tange às características de pervasividade e apoio de tarefas computacionais às atividades clínicas que o usuário (médico) realiza. A arquitetura do modelo ClinicSpace, construída a partir da perspectiva dada pela teoria da atividade, é composta por vários módulos que interligados oferecem as características necessárias a um sistema clínico pervasivo orientado ao usuário-final. Um desses módulos é o tratamento de contexto das tarefas clínicas. Esse trabalho realiza uma discussão sobre os requisitos presentes para o tratamento de contexto das tarefas clínicas, definindo uma arquitetura para associá-los às tarefas do usuário, permitindo personalização de contexto e entrada automática de dados. A personalização é obtida através da utilização de Elementos Programáveis de Contexto, que são representados por atuadores, físicos ou lógicos, responsáveis por dotar o sistema de capacidade de execuções automáticas, baseadas em parâmetros de contexto especificados pelo usuário. Já a entrada automática de dados trata da obtenção destes de maneira implícita, obtendo as informações utilizadas pelas aplicações que o usuário executa, no decorrer de suas tarefas. Para isso, definiu-se uma arquitetura com suporte à personalização e especificação semântica dos dados nela utilizados. Para construir tais funcionalidades, estendeu-se o middleware pervasivo EXEHDA, modificando serviços existentes e agregando novos serviços. A principal contribuição do trabalho está na interligação existente entre os componentes que integram a arquitetura, construindo uma visão única do contexto de uma tarefa sob a perspectiva dos dados necessários a ela e da capacidade de personalização pelo usuário. Dessa forma, reduz-se a necessidade da entrada explícita de dados, e contribui-se para a redução da rejeição da adoção dos sistemas clínicos em ambientes altamente dinâmicos, como os hospitalares.

In recent years, middleware for mobile social network has attracted the attention of academia, causing the design and development of various approaches by researchers. This type of middleware facilitates and makes more efficient the development process of mobile social networking applications. Furthermore, middleware solutions also abstract the communication process with others applications, allowing the acquisition, persistence and reuse of social context information and location of users, besides providing API so that developers can access this information quickly and build new social applications. With a view to supporting this new trend of research, this thesis proposes a middleware for mobile social networking, called My-Direct, which makes use of Wi-Fi Direct technology together with the Bluetooth, aiming to provide flexible communication between the nodes of the mobile social network. Along with My-Direct also was be created a mechanism for user privacy based on information available on mobile device, so that the execution of social activities occurs just between partners with some degree of affinity. / Nos últimos anos, o tema middleware para redes sociais móveis têm atraído a atenção do meio acadêmico, causando o projeto e desenvolvimento de diversas soluções por parte dos pesquisadores. Esse tipo de middleware facilita e torna mais eficiente o pro­cesso de desenvolvimento de aplicações de redes sociais para o ambiente móvel. Além disso, essas soluções de middleware também abstraem o processo de comunicação entre parceiros e permitem a aquisição, persistência e reuso de informações de contexto social e de localização do usuário, além de disponibilizarem API para que os desenvolvedores possam acessar essas informações rapidamente e construir novas aplicações sociais Tendo em vista colaborar para esta nova tendência de pesquisa, esta dissertação propõe uma arquitetura de middleware para redes sociais móveis chamada de My-Direct que faz uso da tecnologia Wi-Fi Direct em conjunto com o Bluetooth, visando proporci­onar comunicação flexível entre os nós da rede social móvel. Junto ao My-Direct, tam­bém foi criado um mecanismo de privacidade para o usuário baseado em informações disponíveis no dispositivo móvel, de forma que a execução de atividades sociais ocorra apenas entre parceiros com algum grau de afinidade.

This study develops and applies a conceptual framework that can be used to evaluate dynamic Web platforms in order to determine a platform for teaching Web application development in tertiary institutions. The framework is specific, yet comprehensive and supported with theory and empirical experimental programming results. We first identify the concepts of Web application development and the constraints to be satisfied by a platform for teaching identified concepts. Then we establish various criteria that will enhance the teaching of the concepts. We also establish qualities and experiment that will ensure that a selected platform is easy to use, fast, portable and affordable. A spreadsheet tool is developed to apply the framework and enable users to customize the framework by varying the criteria's weights. The developed framework is tested by the evaluation of the suitability of Java Servlets, JSP, ASP and PHP with PHP emerging as a suitable platform. / Computing / M.Sc. (Information Systems)

Dans une démarche classique d'ingénierie dirigée par les modèles (IDM), l'ingénieur modélise son système à l'aide d'une notation semi-formelle, le valide puis l'implante. L'étape de validation, basée sur ces modèles, est particulièrement cruciale pour les systèmes temps-réel répartis et embarqués (TR2E), afin de s'assurer de leur respect d'invariants de sécurité, ou de leur bon fonctionnement logique ou temporel. Cependant, une démarche IDM n'est pas suffisante car elle n'indique pas comment utiliser les modèles pour faire des analyses. Quels modèles (ou vues) utiliser ? Pour analyser quel type de propriétés ? Ainsi, il est nécessaire d'adopter une démarche d'Ingénierie dirigée par les Vérifications et les Validations (IDV2) : les modèles créés sont ceux qui sont utiles pour s'assurer que le système est correctement construit (vérification), et qu'il satisfait un ensemble de propriétés spécifiées en amont dans le processus de développement (validation). Cette thèse propose un processus de développement, de validation et de vérification basé sur des notations formelles, et dédié aux applications temps-réel réparties embarquées. Nous nous appuyons sur une notation pivot standard pour appliquer cette démarche IDV2 : le langage AADL (Architecture Analysis and Design Language) permet à l'ingénieur de spécifier son application TR2E depuis son architecture matérielle jusqu'à son déploiement logiciel. Il repose sur l'existence d'un exécutif ayant certaines propriétés et proposant différents services. Ce processus prend en compte les aspects comportementaux de l'application ainsi que les aspects architecturaux de l'exécutif. Il repose sur des notations standardisées, permettant de faire face aux problèmes d'interopérabilités des outils mis en oeuvre. Pour l'applicatif, des propriétés comme l'absence d'interblocage, l'utilisation et le dimensionnement de ressources ou encore l'ordonnancement du système sont validées. Pour l'exécutif, le fait que l'architecture de celui-ci et les services proposés sont en adéquation avec les propriétés évoquées lors de sa configuration est vérifié. Notre démarche permet d'obtenir des retours aussi bien à propos de l'applicatif que de l'exécutif, et permet de corriger ou modifier les modèles dans un processus de développement itératif. Au cours de notre démarche, nous exploitons et transformons les spécifications AADL vers différentes notations standardisées : les réseaux de Petri pour la validation de l'applicatif, la notation Z pour la vérification de l'exécutif utilisé, PolyORB.

Avec les avancées récentes en microélectronique, en traitement numérique et en technologie de communication, les noeuds de réseau de capteurs sans fil (noeud RCSF) deviennent de moins en moins encombrants et coûteux. De ce fait la technologie de RCSF est utilisée dans de larges domaines d’application. Comme les noeuds RCSF sont limités en taille et en coût, ils sont en général équipés d’un petit microcontrôleur de faible puissance de calcul et de mémoire etc. De plus ils sont alimentés par une batterie donc son énergie disponible est limitée. A cause de ces contraintes, la plateforme logicielle d’un RCSF doit consommer peu de mémoire, d’énergie, et doit être efficace en calcul. Toutes ces contraintes rendent les développements de logiciels dédiés au RCSF très compliqués. Aujourd’hui le développement d’un système d’exploitation dédié à la technologie RCSF est un sujet important. En effet avec un système d’exploitation efficient, les ressources matérielles d’une plateforme RCSF peuvent être utilisées efficacement. De plus, un ensemble de services système disponibles permet de simplifier le développement d’une application. Actuellement beaucoup de travaux de recherche ont été menés pour développer des systèmes d’exploitation pour le RCSF tels que TinyOS, Contiki, SOS, openWSN, mantisOS et simpleRTJ. Cependant plusieurs défis restent à relever dans le domaine de système d’exploitation pour le RCSF. Le premier des défis est le développement d’un système d’exploitation temps réel à faible empreinte mémoire dédié au RCSF. Le second défi est de développer un mécanisme permettant d’utiliser efficacement la mémoire et l’énergie disponible d’un RCSF. De plus, comment fournir un développement d’application pour le RCSF reste une question ouverte. Dans cette thèse, un nouveau système d’exploitation hybride, temps réel à énergie efficiente et à faible empreinte mémoire nommé MIROS dédié au RCSF a été développé. Dans MIROS, un ordonnanceur hybride a été adopté ; les deux ordonnanceurs évènementiel et multithread ont été implémentés. Avec cet ordonnanceur hybride, le nombre de threads de MIROS peut être diminué d’une façon importante. En conséquence, les avantages d’un système d’exploitation évènementiel qui consomme peu de ressource mémoire et la performance temps réel d’un système d’exploitation multithread ont été obtenues. De plus, l’allocation dynamique de la mémoire a été aussi réalisée dans MIROS. La technique d’allocation mémoire de MIROS permet l’augmentation de la zone mémoire allouée et le réassemblage des fragments de mémoire. De ce fait, l’allocation de mémoire de MIROS devient plus flexible et la ressource mémoire d’un noeud RCSF peut être utilisée efficacement. Comme l’énergie d’un noeud RCSF est une ressource à forte contrainte, le mécanisme de conservation d’énergie a été implanté dans MIROS. Contrairement aux autres systèmes d’exploitation pour RCSF où la conservation d’énergie a été prise en compte seulement en logiciel, dans MIROS la conservation d’énergie a été prise en compte à la fois en logiciel et en matériel. Enfin, pour fournir un environnement de développement convivial aux utilisateurs, un nouveau intergiciel nommé EMIDE a été développé et intégré dans MIROS. EMIDE permet le découplage d’une application de système. Donc le programme d’application est plus simple et la reprogrammation à distance est plus performante, car seulement les codes de l’application seront reprogrammés. Les évaluations de performance de MIROS montrent que MIROS est un système temps réel à faible empreinte mémoire et efficace pour son exécution. De ce fait, MIROS peut être utilisé dans plusieurs plateformes telles que BTnode, IMote, SenseNode, TelosB et T-Mote Sky. Enfin, MIROS peut être utilisé pour les plateformes RCSF à fortes contraintes de ressources. / With the recent advances in microelectronic, computing and communication technologies, wireless sensor network (WSN) nodes have become physically smaller and more inexpensive. As a result, WSN technology has become increasingly popular in widespread application domains. Since WSN nodes are minimized in physical size and cost, they are mostly restricted to platform resources such as processor computation ability, memory resources and energy supply. The constrained platform resources and diverse application requirements make software development on the WSN platform complicated. On the one hand, the software running on the WSN platform should be small in the memory footprint, low in energy consumption and high in execution efficiency. On the other hand, the diverse application development requirements, such as the real-time guarantee and the high reprogramming performance, should be met by the WSN software. The operating system (OS) technology is significant for the WSN proliferation. An outstanding WSN OS can not only utilize the constrained WSN platform resources efficiently, but also serve the WSN applications soundly. Currently, a set of WSN OSes have been developed, such as the TinyOS, the Contiki, the SOS, the openWSN and the mantisOS. However, many OS development challenges still exist, such as the development of a WSN OS which is high in real-time performance yet low in memory footprint; the improvement of the utilization efficiency to the memory and energy resources on the WSN platforms, and the providing of a user-friendly application development environment to the WSN users. In this thesis, a new hybrid, real-time, energy-efficient, memory-efficient, fault-tolerant and user-friendly WSN OS MIROS is developed. MIROS uses the hybrid scheduling to combine the advantages of the event-driven system's low memory consumption and the multithreaded system's high real-time performance. By so doing, the real-time scheduling can be achieved on the severely resource-constrained WSN platforms. In addition to the hybrid scheduling, the dynamic memory allocators are also realized in MIROS. Differing from the other dynamic allocation approaches, the memory heap in MIROS can be extended and the memory fragments in the MIROS can be defragmented. As a result, MIROS allocators become flexible and the memory resources can be utilized more efficiently. Besides the above mechanisms, the energy conservation mechanism is also implemented in MIROS. Different from most other WSN OSes in which the energy resource is conserved only from the software aspect, the energy conservation in MIROS is achieved from both the software aspect and the multi-core hardware aspect. With this conservation mechanism, the energy cost reduced significantly, and the lifetime of the WSN nodes prolonged. Furthermore, MIROS implements the new middleware software EMIDE in order to provide a user-friendly application development environment to the WSN users. With EMIDE, the WSN application space can be decoupled from the low-level system space. Consequently, the application programming can be simplified as the users only need to focus on the application space. Moreover, the application reprogramming performance can be improved as only the application image other than the monolithic image needs to be updated during the reprogramming process. The performance evaluation works to the MIROS prove that MIROS is a real-time OS which has small memory footprint, low energy cost and high execution efficiency. Thus, it is suitable to be used on many WSN platforms including the BTnode, IMote, SenseNode, TelosB, T-Mote Sky, etc. The performance evaluation to EMIDE proves that EMIDE has less memory cost and low energy consumption. Moreover, it supports small-size application code. Therefore, it can be used on the high resource-constrained WSN platforms to provide a user-friendly development environment to the WSN users.

最近幾年來，網際網路的出現及應用面的廣泛，改變了企業的資訊架構。從Client/Server擴展到以Web為應用程式的平台，企業面臨了資訊架構的重整，企業網路、電子商務都是現今最新的應用。由於全球資訊網採開放架構，並以HTML、HTTP為標準，使得資訊業者有所依循，開發出許多產品來滿足企業的需求。隨著Web的廣泛使用，應用程式架構、介面與行為特質都將與以往有著大大的不同，元件及交易導向的Web應用程式是勢在必行的路。 對此變革，企業最重要的課題之一是，如何建構完整的企業網路環境以增強競爭力。資料庫系統是企業各種資訊軟體的基礎，在以Web為應用程式的平台的架構下，它仍是其中重要的關鍵元件。選擇資料庫系統必須考慮許多因素，而且現有的資料庫系統的產品很多，各項產品的特性與優點均有不同，每一種產品甚至可再細分成許多元件，可依照需要選用，因此資料庫產品的選擇變成一種複雜的過程。若選擇錯誤則不僅是金錢耗費的損失，更深遠地影響整個企業的順利運作，甚至是企業競爭力的下降，更可能嚴重到影響企業的存續。故資料庫系統的選擇不可不慎。 本文提出一網際網路資料庫體系選擇模式，協助企業在全球資訊網的開放架構及多階層應用系統環境下，評選出符合企業本身狀況及需求的網際網路資料庫系統。此模式內容包含，需求分析與確認、第一至四級網際網路資料庫體系需求屬性之彙整、兩階段的廠商篩選及含加權機制之廠商評比。 最後並將此模式運用於，行政院衛生署藥物食品檢驗局之購置網際網路資料庫設備計劃。 / Internet technology has drastically changed the enterprise computing and platform. Database management and systems represent the core of the change and the key of the new revolution of the information technology and infrastructure. Business information and models have been stored and manipulated through the use of the database technology. Due to the fast growing speed and variety of the database products in the marketplace, managers are having difficult making the right decision in selecting and maintaining the Internet database management and systems. To tackle this issue, we propose a requirements-based software selection model from the user’s viewpoint. In this research, we develop a five-step choice model with an emphasis on the requirement analysis and rank analysis. We collect and compile the functional and non-functional characteristics and features of the Internet database management and systems. We classify and organize them into a four-layer hierarchy and work with the weight mechanism in the rank analysis. This choice model adopts another five-part rank policy in order to produce the final suggestion of software selection. In the end, we apply the new model in a field case study of the Web Database Systems Procurement Project with the National Laboratories of Foods and Drugs, Department of Health, Executive Yuan.

開放系統已蔚為資訊技術的主流，但目前關於開放系統之研究多半屬於技術層面之探討，缺乏從管理面探討開放系統之研究。因此，本研究旨在進行有系統的探討國內企業對開放系統發展策略之採行措施的調查分析，以及所產生的管理績效是否達到預期的水準。探討「發展策略」與「管理績效」二者之間的關係，並進一步檢視發展策略的不同及現存的「技術環境」、內部的「組織特性」的差異，對其管理績效的影響關係。 本研究屬於實證性研究（Empirical Research），針對國內大型企業的資訊部門主管進行問卷調查，根據76份有效問卷之資料統計分析、檢定，獲致下列研究結論： 一、 對國內企業而言，受訪者認為開放系統發展策略的重要性因素，包括妥善規劃發展準則、引用正規的發展方法、運用專案管理技術、標準化的遵守、應用元件的整合性等規劃措施，以及強化目標平台能力、風險低的實施策略、資訊教育訓練與推廣、安裝及測試完整性、適當處置政治因素等實踐措施。 二、 本研究將國內企業之開放系統發展策略區分為應用者、業務者、功能者三個策略群，採應用策略者一般來說，有較佳的發展成本、資訊提供、使用者效果、系統整合之管理績效，但僅在系統整合上有顯著差異。 三、 技術環境的影響關係上，在技術產品效用性高及標準化需求的遵守性高的情況下，發展策略採行應用策略者並取得良好的配合，則有較佳的系統整合績效產生。 四、 組織特性的影響關係上，在組織結構為有機式之情況下，發展策略採應用策略者，有較高的系統整合績效。在資訊部門員工人數少時，發展策略採功能策略者，有較佳的使用者效果績效。

Systems populating the Ubiquitous Computing environment are characterized by an often extreme level of heterogeneity at different layers which prevents their seamless interoperability. In this environment, heterogeneous protocols would cooperate to reach some common goal even though they meet dynamically and do not have a priori knowledge of each other. Although numerous efforts have been done in the literature, the automated and run-time interoperability is still an open challenge for such environment. Therefore, this thesis focuses on overcoming the interoperability problem between heterogeneous protocols in the Ubiquitous Computing. In particular, we aim at providing a means to drop the interoperability barriers by automatically eliciting a way for the protocols to interact. The solution we propose is the automated synthesis of emerging mediating connectors (also called mediators or connectors). Specifically, we concentrate our efforts to: (i) devising AMAzING, a process to synthesize mediators, (ii) characterizing protocol mismatches and related mediator patterns, and (iii) designing MediatorS, a theory of mediating connectors. The theory, and the process, are put in practice by applying them to a real world application, and have been adopted by the European Research Project CONNECT.

<p>The global business environment of today requires companies to be flexible, in order to quickly react and respond to the ever-changing market. Business-to-business application integration (B2BAI) can be seen as a tool which enables companies to stay competitive and it is often regarded by the theory as a must for survival in today’s fierce business environment. Eventhough the employment of a B2BAI strategy can generate a lot of advantages and opportunities for companies operating within today’s global business environment, there are still many challenges and problems to overcome in order to have a successful B2BAI solution.</p><p>Based on this we found it highly interesting to see whether the theories positive outlook on B2BAI could be supported by an empirical research. In this essay we have therefore studied and identified the underlying reasons and the contributing factors to why or why not companies choose to integrate externally, from the perspective of IT-consulting agencies. Besides this, a description and an explanation regarding the concepts covered by the field of B2BAI have been made in order to facilitate the understanding for the reader. As our intention primarily was to investigate the reasons behind and the contributing factors to why or why not companies choose to integrate, we chose to make qualitative interviews. This, as we were in need of information which described the course of events and expressed individual opinions, in order to achieve the purpose of the essay. Regarding the selection of research objects for the research, the population consists of all IT-consulting agencies in Sweden. The research has however been delimited to a selection of the population, where the sample consists of three IT-consulting agencies located in Jönköping, with experience of B2BAI.</p><p>One of the most interesting discoveries we have made in this research is that the empirical findings agree with the theory in regards of that globalization is a central factor contributing to why companies chose to invest in B2BAI. However, the respondents do not discuss all the advantages of B2BAI mentioned in the theory and emphasize slightly different underlying reasons for choosing to employ a B2BAI strategy. The most central reason for not choosing to employ a B2BAI strategy was according to the respondents due to the lack of knowledge regarding issues relating to the phenomenon and this have not been discussed in the theoretical framework. The challenges with B2BAI stated in the theory, were on the other hand not regarded as issues contributing to not choosing to implement B2BAI. We are under the impression that the advantages and the oppor-tunities with B2BAI carry more weight then the challenges, as the essays empirical findings indicate that the demand for B2BAI today is high and constantly growing.</p> / <p>Dagens globala affärsvärld kräver att företag ska vara flexibla för att snabbt kunna reagera och anpassa sig till den ständigt föränderliga marknaden. Business-to-business application integration (B2BAI) kan ses som ett verktyg som hjälper företag att vara konkurrenskraftiga och i teorier som behandlar ämnet beskrivs det ofta som ett måste för att överleva i dagens tuffa affärsklimat. Trots att tillämpandet av en B2BAI strategi kan generera ett flertal fördelar så finns det fortfarande många utmaningar och problem att bemästra för att kunna få en framgångsrik B2BAI lösning.</p><p>Baserat på detta fann vi det högst intressant att undersöka huruvida teorins positiva bild av B2BAI kunde stödjas av en empirisk studie. I denna uppsats har vi därför undersökt och identifierat de underliggande skälen och de bidragande faktorerna till varför företag väljer eller inte väljer att integrera externt, utifrån ett IT-konsultföretag perspektiv. Utöver detta ges en beskrivning av och förklaring till de begrepp som kunskapsområdet B2BAI innefattar för att underlätta förståelsen för läsaren. Eftersom vår avsikt huvudsakligen var att undersöka skälen bakom och de bidragande faktorerna till varför företag väljer eller inte väljer att integrera, valde vi att genomföra kvalitativa intervjuer. Detta då vi hade ett behov av information som beskrev händelser och uttryckte personliga åsikter för att kunna uppfylla syftet med denna uppsats. Vad gäller urvalet av undersökningsobjekt består populationen av alla IT-konsultföretag i Sverige. Undersökningen har dock avgränsats till tre IT-konsultföretag belägna i Jönköping med erfarenhet av B2BAI.</p><p>En av de mest intressanta upptäckterna vi har gjort i denna undersökning är att empirin överensstämmer med teorin beträffande att globaliseringen är en central bidragande faktor till varför företag väljer att investera i B2BAI. Respondenterna diskuterar dock inte alla fördelar med B2BAI som omnämns i teorin och framhåller delvis andra underliggande skäl till varför företag väljer att använda an B2BAI strategi. Det mest centrala skälet till varför företag inte väljer att implementera en B2BAI strategi var enligt respondenterna på grund av bristande kunskaper beträffande frågor relaterade till fenomenet och detta har inte diskuterats i det teoretiska ramverket. Utmaningarna med B2BAI omnämnda i teorin ansågs emellertid inte vara bidragande faktorer till att inte välja att implementera B2BAI. Vi har fått intrycket att de fördelar och möjligheter som B2BAI medför är av större vikt för företag än de utmaningar och problem som existerar, då uppsatsens empiriska studie pekar på att efterfrågan för B2BAI är stor idag och kon-stant växande.</p>