Cooperative knowledge processing

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In light of today's organizational challenges, there is a growing recognition that the effective use of information technology is crucial for market success and long-term survival. A new terminology has emerged to describe enterprises, heavily influenced by concepts like virtual reality and virtual organizations. Developing computerized organizations for the 21st century requires careful integration of organizational theory, design, and practice with research tools from information processing technology. This book approaches this integration from the perspective of a decentralized, possibly virtual enterprise, emphasizing a shift towards process-oriented structures rather than traditional task-oriented models. This perspective highlights the autonomy of organizational subunits, necessitating a cooperative style of problem-solving for coordinating decentralized activities, including workflows and business processes. The text introduces readers to a stimulating interdisciplinary research field in cooperative problem-solving. Chapter 1 presents insights from three central disciplines: Organizational Theory, Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), and Distributed Artificial Intelligence (DAI), illustrating how future enterprises can leverage recent advances in cooperative knowledge processing technology.