The aggregate power of all resources on the Internet is enormous. The Internet can be viewed as a massive virtual organization that holds tremendous amounts of information and resources with different ownerships. However, little is known about how to run this organization efficiently. This dissertation studies the problems of distributed task and resource allocation among self-interested agents in virtual organizations. The developed solutions are not allocation mechanisms that can be imposed by a centralized designer, but decentralized interaction mechanisms that provide incentives to self-interested agents to behave cooperatively. These mechanisms also take computational tractability into consideration due to the inherent complexity of distributed task and resource allocation problems. Targeted allocation mechanisms can achieve global task allocation efficiency in a virtual organization and establish stable resource-sharing communities based on agents’ own decisions about whether or not to behave cooperatively. This high level goal requires solving the following problems: synthetic task allocation, decentralized coalition formation and automated multiparty negotiation. For synthetic task allocation, in which each task needs to be accomplished by a virtual team composed of self-interested agents from different real organizations, my approach is to formalize the synthetic task allocation problem as an algorithmic mechanism design optimization problem. I have developed two approximation mechanisms that I prove are incentive compatible for a synthetic task allocation problem. This dissertation also develops a decentralized coalition formation mechanism, which is based on explicit negotiation among self-interested agents. Each agent makes its own decisions about whether or not to join a candidate coalition. The resulting coalitions are stable in the core in terms of coalition rationality. I have applied this mechanism to form resource sharing coalitions in computational grids and buyer coalitions in electronic markets. The developed negotiation mechanism in the decentralized coalition formation mechanism realizes automated multilateral negotiation among self-interested agents who have symmetric authority (i.e., no mediator exists and agents are peers). In combination, the decentralized allocation mechanisms presented in this dissertation lay a foundation for realizing automated resource management in open and scalable virtual organizations.

Service Oriented Virtual Organizations (SOVOs) business processes and services are subject to change to meet the internal and external requirements of the competitive, complex and rapidly changing environment they operate in. More practical and efficient ways of change management are needed to allow different partners to initiate changes to their business process and services in a faster and user-transparent manner. This thesis proposes a Change Management Framework for service oriented virtual organizations including a structural and a procedural framework. The structural framework categorizes changes in the SOVO into three layers of change; which include the value network layer, the collaborative process layer and the service providers’ layer, and identifies the impact of change on each layer. Furthermore, the structural framework identifies various triggers of changes which eventually lead to actions taken at the three layers. The change management procedural framework is derived from the ITIL V3, ECM and ECOLEAD best practices and recommendations, customized to fit the SOVO change requirements. It provides different components including the six layers for change processes, change control, change actors and related management processes. The change management procedural framework provides a sequence of steps and methods that the SOVO and its participated organizations can follow in initiating changes to their business processes or services. We design an implementation architecture and a prototype for building the change management console which enables the SOVO change management participants to initiate, assess, collaborate, monitor and authorize changes. The prototype is developed to realize and validate the change management process of change in the SOVO environment. We employ the various capabilities of the IBM Business Process Management (BPM) (including its recent Web 2.0 capabilities) to increase the collaboration between partners in the process of change. We demonstrate that the proposed solutions facilitate and enhance the process of change by effectively engaging the SOVO partners in the process of change.

Service Oriented Virtual Organizations (SOVOs) business processes and services are subject to change to meet the internal and external requirements of the competitive, complex and rapidly changing environment they operate in. More practical and efficient ways of change management are needed to allow different partners to initiate changes to their business process and services in a faster and user-transparent manner. This thesis proposes a Change Management Framework for service oriented virtual organizations including a structural and a procedural framework. The structural framework categorizes changes in the SOVO into three layers of change; which include the value network layer, the collaborative process layer and the service providers’ layer, and identifies the impact of change on each layer. Furthermore, the structural framework identifies various triggers of changes which eventually lead to actions taken at the three layers. The change management procedural framework is derived from the ITIL V3, ECM and ECOLEAD best practices and recommendations, customized to fit the SOVO change requirements. It provides different components including the six layers for change processes, change control, change actors and related management processes. The change management procedural framework provides a sequence of steps and methods that the SOVO and its participated organizations can follow in initiating changes to their business processes or services. We design an implementation architecture and a prototype for building the change management console which enables the SOVO change management participants to initiate, assess, collaborate, monitor and authorize changes. The prototype is developed to realize and validate the change management process of change in the SOVO environment. We employ the various capabilities of the IBM Business Process Management (BPM) (including its recent Web 2.0 capabilities) to increase the collaboration between partners in the process of change. We demonstrate that the proposed solutions facilitate and enhance the process of change by effectively engaging the SOVO partners in the process of change.

Our focus is on the confluence of social networks and virtual organizations. In massively networked populations, ideologies and aspirations spread at phenomenally fast pace. The Arab spring, for instance, arose in Tunisia on December 17, 2010 and its effects were seen in several countries in a short time. Social action, such as in Tunisia, is often observed as network spikes and bursts that propagate and saturate the network rapidly. There are several organizational models published that explain behavioral dynamics in organizations. However, none of these models have the representational power of modeling spontaneous exigencies of a networked organization that account for rapid rates of dissemination in ad-hoc networks. Therefore, we have conceived this in a life cycle for a prototypical spontaneous, networked organization (SNO) and describe operations therein from formation to dissolution. After describing the life cycle, we offer insights for a model of a successful SNO. Furthermore, we have implemented a spacecraft organization of satellites using Netlogo for further validation of our model.

Trender som globalisering och digitalisering har gjort det möjligt för organisationer att sammankoppla specialister globalt utspridda. Detta för att samarbeta mot ett gemensamt mål med hjälp av information-och kommunikationsteknologi. Organisationer med denna struktur kallas för virtuella organisationer. Filmbranschen har lång erfarenhet av att jobba som en virtuell organisation. Genom att intervjua tre aktiva filmproducenter om kultur och tillit undersöker jag med denna studie om det finns kunskap att hämta från hur filmbranschen arbetar med kultur och tillit som kan användas på andra virtuella organisationer. Resultatet visar vikten av att virtuella organisationer rekryterar medarbetare som delar dess värderingar därtill visar studien vilken betydelse en gemensam målbild har för organisationens förmåga att skapa tillit.

Since the early 2000s, Service Oriented Architectures (SOAs) have played a key role in the development of complex applications within a virtual organization (VO) context. Grids and workflows have emerged as vital technologies for addressing the (SOA) paradigm. Given the variety of Grid middleware, scientific workflow systems and Grid workflows available, bringing the two technologies together in a flexible, reusable and generalized way has been largely overlooked, particularly from a scientific end user perspective. The lack of domain focus in this area has led to a slow uptake of Grid technologies. This thesis aims to design a framework for Grid-enabling workflows, which identifies the essential technological components, how these components fit together in layered architecture and the interactions between them. To produce such a framework, this thesis first investigates the definition of a Grid-workflow architecture and mapping Grid functionality to workflow nodes, focusing on striking a balance between performance, usability and the Grid functionality supported. Next, it presents an examination of framework extensions for supporting various forms of Grid heterogeneity, essential for ii VO based collaboration. Given the complex nature of Grid technologies, the work presented here investigates abstracting Grid based workflows through high-level definitions and resolution using semantic technologies. Finally, this thesis presents a way to resolves abstract Grid workflows using semantic technologies and intelligent, autonomous agents. The frameworks presented in this thesis are tested and evaluated within the context of domain-based case studies defined in the SIMDAT, BRIDGE and ARGUGRID EU funded research projects.

Na busca por soluções organizacionais, modelos alternativos de redes de cooperação, como forma otimizada de gestão, vêm sendo pesquisados e propostos. O conceito de empresa virtual é uma destas propostas, tendo como característica a integração de competências de diferentes empresas que se unem para satisfazer oportunidades específicas de negócio. Um ambiente adequado para as empresas virtuais se constituírem rapidamente é através da criação de organizações virtuais, formadas por empresas pré-dispostas a cooperarem e que juntas, buscam novas oportunidades de mercado. O pré-requisito para seu adequado funcionamento depende de quatro infra-estruturas: física, legal, de informação e a sócio-cultural. A ausência de estudos e ações aprofundadas sobre a parte sócio-cultural pode inviabilizar o bom desempenho das organizações virtuais devido, principalmente a falta de cultura de cooperação baseada na confiança. No sentido de minimizar o problema, este trabalho define uma infra-estrutura sócio-cultural essencial que suporta a participação de empresas em organizações virtuais contribuindo para um maior conhecimento científico sobre aspectos sócio-culturais em ambientes dinâmicos e viabilizando maiores chances de sucesso das organizações virtuais. Esta infra-estrutura é baseada em estudo de caso numa organização virtual brasileira onde, numa experiência de três anos, benefícios, problemas e sugestões são apresentados servindo assim, como um referencial para futuras organizações virtuais. / The actual fast dynamic in the business impose of the enterprises more flexibility and so an inquiry for organizational solutions to make this enterprises competitivities. New alternative models of cooperation chain between enterprises as a way of optimized management have been research and proposal. The Virtual Enterprise concept is one of this proposes having as characteristic the integration of the abilities, or competences, of this existent enterprises join itself to satisfy specific opportunities of business. One manner to create a proper environment to quickly constitute a virtual enterprise is among the creation of a Virtual Organization, formed by enterprises predisposes and qualified to cooperate seeking together new opportunities to operate in the market. This organizations owing for a good growth four substructures: physical, legal, of information and social-cultural. The absence of profound studies and actions about the social-cultural substructure can make unable the good performance of the virtual organizations due, mainly, to the absence of the cooperation culture based in trust. In sense to minimize this problem this work define a essential social-cultural substructure to support the participation of enterprises in Virtual Organizations contributing to a scientific knowledge about social-cultural aspects in dynamics environments and allowing higher chances of success of the Virtual Organizations. This substructure is based in a study of case in the brazilian virtual organization, where in a experience among three years, benefit, problems and suggestions are presented serving so as a referential to the future virtual organizations.

A análise de custos tradicional apenas estuda os impactos financeiros das alternativas de decisão. Mas dentro de um ambiente de concorrência ágil, globalizada e cada vez mais acirrada, a obtenção de vantagens competitivas sustentáveis torna-se fundamental e portanto, os elementos estratégicos devem ser agregados aos dados de custos. Os conceitos de dinamismo, vantagens competitivas, competências essenciais, acabam possibilitando novas concepções de arranjos organizacionais tais como as redes de cooperação de empresas denominadas Empresas Virtuais (EV), e se constituem em enfoques dos mais importantes. Também o conceito de estratégia, principalmente aplicado a gestão de custos/lucros é uma realidade trazida pelo novo contexto global. A aplicação da Gestão Estratégica de Custos (Strategic Cost Managemant - SCM) e de suas ferramentas está associada a todas as atividades das empresas, especialmente àquelas relacionadas com a gestão de custos e lucros. É objetivo deste trabalho estudar e discutir os critérios de funcionamento de um modelo de Gestão Estratégica de Custos e as possibilidades de sua aplicação em Empresas Virtuais. A meta é a obtenção de conclusões e conhecimento a cerca da administração de custos de uma maneira estratégica para o setor de Empresas Virtuais. / The tradicional cost analysis only studies the financial consequences of alternative decisions. But in a environment of agile, globalizated and even more stronger competion, the obtention of sustenable competitive advantages becomes fundamental, thus the strategic elements must be aggregated with cost information. With the arrival of globalization, comes a new way to see the firm's environment and to operate inside it. The concepts of dinamism, competitive advantage, core competences, make possible new structures, for example, the cooperation networks called virtual organizations, and they are answers to the new managemant challenges. The organizations with tecnology basis, just their agility, have a profile to actuate in virtual organizations. The concept of strategie, specially the one related with costs, is coming by the globalization too. The aplication of Strategic Cost Managemant (SCM) and their instruments is associated with all of the organization's activities, specially, the one related with cost managemant. It's convenient study and discuss the operation rules of a strategic cost managemant model and the possibilities of aplication in virtual organizations.

Com a globalização da economia as empresas estão buscando diferentes formas de cooperação para aumentarem a sua competitividade. Neste contexto, o conceito de Empresa Virtual está sendo pesquisado como uma alternativa para aumentar os ganhos dentro de uma cooperação entre empresas. No entanto, o tipo de cooperação Empresa Virtual corresponde a uma área de pesquisa na qual diferentes mecanismos estão sendo explorados para a sua consolidação. A formação de uma rede estável entre empresas é difundida por vários projetos europeus como uma condição necessária para o surgimento sistemático de Empresas Virtuais. A esta rede estável dá-se o nome de Organização Virtual. O sucesso da formação e gerência de uma Empresa Virtual com as empresas que pertencem à uma Organização Virtual depende diretamente do processo de integração entre as mesmas. O objetivo deste trabalho consiste em aplicar conceitos e ferramentas difundidos pela área de Integração de Empresas na formação e gerência de uma Empresa Virtual, dentro de uma Organização Virtual, visando a integração dos parceiros. Para tanto, foi realizada uma adaptação do conceito de modelo de empresa para a representação formalizada dos parceiros da Organização Virtual e um detalhamento das atividades do ciclo de vida de uma Empresa Virtual, entre as quais encontram-se as atividades do processo de integração. Um exemplo de organização Virtual foi elaborado para validar a aplicação da proposta. / With the economy globalization, enterprises are looking for different forms of cooperation aiming increase their competitiveness. In this context, the concept of virtual enterprise is being researched as an alternative to increase the gains inside a cooperation among enterprises. However, the type of cooperation called virtual enterprise corresponds to a research area in which different mechanisms are being explored for its consolidation. The formation of a stable network among enterprises is diffused by several European projects as a necessary condition for the systematic appearance of virtual enterprises. This stable network is called Virtual organization. The success of the formation and management of a virtual enterprise whose enterprises that belong to a virtual organization depends directly on the integration process among the same ones. The objective of this work consists of applying concepts and tools diffused by the area of enterprise Iitegration in the formation and management of a virtual enterprise, inside of a virtual organization, seeking the partners' integration. For this, an adaptation of the concept of enterprise model was accomplished for the formalized representation of the virtual organization partners and a specification of the activities of the life cicle of a virtual enterprise, among these there are the activities of the integration process. An example of virtual owas elaborated to validate the application of the proposal.

The innovative advancements of information communication technology (ICT) combinedwith a globalized economy have given rise to organizational forms that manipulate timeand distance. Today, competitive advantages are more elusive than tangible as a result ofdynamically complex environments motivating organizations to adjust in structure andfunctional capacity. New emergent forms of organizational structures have resulted inthe virtual organization (VO), which employs a network structure and allowsorganizations the flexibility to perform core processes amongst distributed teams, units,departments, and/or organizations. In essence the virtual organization may be viewed asa strategic response to dynamic environmental forces that have encouragedorganizations to rethink the concept of competitiveness. Virtual organizations havegained popularity throughout the last decade as a more effective way of managing andcommunicating information within and across organizations. Information communicationtechnology (ICT) has aided in the globalizing effect of informationalism. Theinformational flows within a virtual organization have direct bearing on individual andgroup efforts to obtain and employ information essential to organizational objectives.This thesis investigates the information interchange within virtual organizations througha theoretical study, which converges identified relevant subject areas and introduces theMedia Rich Social Information Interchange (MERiSii) model. The empirical study isdesigned to further investigate the validity of theoretical concepts employed in theMERiSii model and to expand its development to facilitate the function of informationinterchange. VGR-IT is an IT infrastructure provider, for hospitals and healthcarefacilities in the Västra Götaland region of Sweden. Interviews conducted with an accountmanager for VGR-IT and an IT strategist for Borås Hospital give insight into thecommunicative tasks of information interchange that must be effective to support the coreprocesses within VGR-IT and the service VGR-IT provides to Borås hospital. The resultsof a comparative analysis between the theoretical and empirical studies support a revisedMERiSii model that may be implicated in future research to further verify itseffectiveness. / Program: Magisterutbildning i informatik