Thesis (PhD) -- Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis has as its focus the engineering of integrated knowledge networks (IKNs) through the use of a
reference architecture. The purpose of the study is to gain a deeper understanding of the constructional
principles underlying this class of collaborative networks. Although IKNs and enterprise engineering are both
seen as promising approaches to the challenges of the Information Age, significant challenges still exist in the
engineering of IKNs.
Our globalised and commercialised society may currently be characterised by both extreme complexity and
extreme rates of change. Enterprise engineering is seen as a promising approach to equip enterprises with the
characteristics that are desirable in the modern economy, including flexibility and agility. Enterprise architecture
contributes to this endeavour by providing a high-level design of the enterprise that allows for integrated
engineering of the enterprise.
From a commercial point of view, it has been widely recognised that the ability to innovate and generate new
knowledge through the development of new products, services and processes is a key factor in the survival of
enterprises. The latest trends in innovation management, however, show that the innovation process is no longer
one that is executed inside a single enterprise, giving rise to the development of inter-organisational innovation
networks. Furthermore, the importance of knowledge as a dynamic enabler of this networked innovation
approach is highlighted. This has lead to the emergence of IKNs in which knowledge is created and shared
between network stakeholders in order to foster sustainable innovation.
The increasing rate of change means that enterprises, including IKNs, have progressively less time to react to
market changes and opportunities. The emphasis is therefore on the potential of the EE and EA disciplines as
tools to adapt to the dynamic landscape of the Information Age. At present, the ability to apply comprehensive
enterprise engineering to IKNs is hampered by the lack of resources that describes sound constructional
principles for these networks. The focus of this study is therefore on the application of the enterprise engineering
discipline to IKNs through the development of a reference architecture.
The reference architecture for IKNs is developed through design science research within a pragmatic and
qualitative research strategy. The research problem is first identified and motivated. Various solution objectives are
subsequently defined. This is followed by the design and development of the reference architecture through four
iterative design cycles. A qualitative systematic review is conducted and serves as the foundation for the
development of various reference models. The reference architecture for IKNs is demonstrated and evaluated
through a series of illustrative scenarios, after which the utility, novelty and design rigour of the artefact is
communicated. It was found that the reference architecture provides constructional principles in the engineering of IKNs, thus
enabling the design, operation and research of this class of collaborative networks. The study therefore takes a
first step toward extending the concept of EE to IKNs, and collaborative networks in general. This enables the
greater adaptability of these networks to the dynamic environment of the Information Age. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die ontwikkeling van geïntegreerde kennisnetwerke (GK’s) aan die hand van ‘n
verwysingsargitektuur. Die doel van die studie is om ’n beter begrip van die onderliggende ontwerpbeginsels van
hierdie klas kollaborasie netwerke te kry. Alhoewel beide GK’s en ondernemingsingenieurswese beskou word as
belowende benaderings tot die uitdagings van die Inligtingsera, bestaan beduidende uitdagings steeds in die
ontwikkeling van GK’s.
Ons geglobaliseerde, gekommersialiseerde samelewing word tans gekenmerk deur beide buitengewone
kompleksiteit en buitengewone tempo-verandering. Ondernemingsingenieurswese word beskou as ’n belowende
benadering om ondernemings toe te rus met die eienskappe wat in aanvraag is in die moderne ekonomie,
insluitend aanpasbaarheid en vlugheid. Ondernemingsargitektuur dra by tot hierdie poging deur ’n hoëvlak
ontwerp van die onderneming te voorsien wat geïntegreerde ontwikkeling van die onderneming toelaat.
Vanuit ’n kommersiële oogpunt word dit ruim aanvaar dat die vermoë om te innoveer en nuwe kennis te ontwikkel
deur die ontwikkeling van nuwe produkte, dienste en prosesse ’n kernfaktor in die oorlewing van ondernemings
is. Die jongste benadering in innovasiebestuur toon aan dat die innovasieproses nie meer slegs in een
onderneming uitgevoer word nie. Dit lei dan tot interorganisasie-innovasienetwerke. Die belangrikheid van kennis
as ’n dinamiese instaatsteller van hierdie netwerk-innovasiebenadering word verder beklemtoon. Dit het gelei tot
die ontstaan van GK’s waarin kennis tot stand gebring en gedeel word tussen netwerk belanghebbendes om
sodoende volhoubare innovasie te bevorder.
Die toenemende tempo in verandering beteken dat ondernemings, insluitende GK’s, toenemend minder tyd het
om op markveranderings en -geleenthede te reageer. Die klem val daarom op die ondernemingsingenieursweseen
ondernemingsargitektuur-dissiplines as hulpmiddels om by die dinamiese landskap van die Inligtingsera aan
te pas. Tans word die vermoë om omvattende ondernemingsingenieurswese in GK’s te beoefen, gekniehalter
deur die tekort aan hulpbronne wat grondige konstruksie-beginsels vir hierdie netwerke beskryf. Die fokus van
hierdie studie is daarom die toepassing van die ondernemingsingenieurswese-dissipline op GK’s deur die
ontwikkeling van ’n verwysingsargitektuur.
Die verwysingsargitektuur vir GK’s word ontwikkel deur ontwerpwetenskapnavorsing binne ’n pragmatiese en
kwalitatiewe navorsingstrategie. Die navorsingsprobleem word eers geïdentifiseer en gemotiveer. Verskeie
oplossingsdoelwitte word vervolgens bepaal. Hierna geskied die ontwerp en ontwikkeling van die
verwysingsargitektuur deur middel van die vier herhalende ontwerpsiklusse. Die verwysingsargitektuur vir GK’s
word gedemonstreer en geëvalueer deur ’n reeks beeldende scenario’s, waarna die bruikbaarheid, nuutheid en
ontwerpstrengheid van die artefak gekommunikeer word. Dit is bevind dat die verwysingsargitektuur konstruksiebeginsels in die ontwikkeling van GK’s voorsien en
sodoende die ontwerp, werk en navorsing in hierdie klas kollaborasie netwerke moontlik maak. Dié studie neem
‘n eerste tree in die rigting om die konsep van ondernemingsingenieurswese tot GK’s uit te brei. Dit maak die
groter aanpasbaarheid van hierdie netwerke by die dinamiese omgewing van die Inligtingsera moontlik.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/95799 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Gous, Johannes Hendrik |
| Contributors | Schutte, C. S. L., Gerber, Aurona, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xxiii, 465 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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