Ebook: Cooperation Among Organizations: The Potential of Computer Supported Cooperative Work

This book reports research conducted in the ESPRIT project PECOS, which investigated the requirements for effective CSCW (Computer Supported Cooperative Work) with special reference to cooperation among organisations in large projects. It indicates commercial areas where CSCW technology can be applied, and examines such methodological issues as enterprise modelling, system architecture, and the incorporation of artificial intelligence techniques. PECOS studied two practical contexts. The first was the management of a complex industrial project, the construction of a high-speed train for the Italian railway, which required cooperation among four private companies. The second was the design of an information system for water management in the Lombardy region, which required cooperation among several different branches of public administration.fhese contexts were analysed, applying techniques of enterprise modelling, in order to identify requirements for CSCW systems. The composition of the book is as follows. Chapter 1 presents some highlights of the vast literature on cooperation, including results from psycholOgy, sociology, management science, linguistics, and artificial intelligence. Chapter 2 reviews the much shorter history of CSCW, with reference to a catalogue of existing systems given in an appendix at the end of the book. The next four chapters contain our original findings.

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This book reports research conducted in the ESPRIT Exploratory Action PECOS (Perspectives on Cooperative Systems), which investigated requirements for effective Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), with special reference to cooperation among organisations in large projects. The PECOS action included an evaluation of the state of the art in both technological capability and organisational theory and practice. New methodological proposals were made based on two practical contexts. The first was the management of a complex industrial project, the construction of a high-speed train for the Italian railway, which required cooperation among four private companies. The second was the design of an information system for water management in the Lombardy region, which required cooperation among several different branches of public administration. These contexts were studied, applying techniques of enterprise modelling, in order to identify requirements for CSCW systems.The action suggests a methodology which emphasizes the importance of modelling the application context and integrating all tools into a common environment.

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This book reports research conducted in the ESPRIT Exploratory Action PECOS (Perspectives on Cooperative Systems), which investigated requirements for effective Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), with special reference to cooperation among organisations in large projects. The PECOS action included an evaluation of the state of the art in both technological capability and organisational theory and practice. New methodological proposals were made based on two practical contexts. The first was the management of a complex industrial project, the construction of a high-speed train for the Italian railway, which required cooperation among four private companies. The second was the design of an information system for water management in the Lombardy region, which required cooperation among several different branches of public administration. These contexts were studied, applying techniques of enterprise modelling, in order to identify requirements for CSCW systems.The action suggests a methodology which emphasizes the importance of modelling the application context and integrating all tools into a common environment.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-VII
Cooperative work in organizations....Pages 1-12
Computer Supported Cooperative Work....Pages 13-25
The case studies....Pages 26-40
Modelling the case studies....Pages 41-71
Intelligent computer support....Pages 72-102
Architectural framework for CSCW....Pages 103-118
A methodology for CSCW....Pages 119-124
Back Matter....Pages 125-140

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This book reports research conducted in the ESPRIT Exploratory Action PECOS (Perspectives on Cooperative Systems), which investigated requirements for effective Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), with special reference to cooperation among organisations in large projects. The PECOS action included an evaluation of the state of the art in both technological capability and organisational theory and practice. New methodological proposals were made based on two practical contexts. The first was the management of a complex industrial project, the construction of a high-speed train for the Italian railway, which required cooperation among four private companies. The second was the design of an information system for water management in the Lombardy region, which required cooperation among several different branches of public administration. These contexts were studied, applying techniques of enterprise modelling, in order to identify requirements for CSCW systems.The action suggests a methodology which emphasizes the importance of modelling the application context and integrating all tools into a common environment.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages I-VII
Cooperative work in organizations....Pages 1-12
Computer Supported Cooperative Work....Pages 13-25
The case studies....Pages 26-40
Modelling the case studies....Pages 41-71
Intelligent computer support....Pages 72-102
Architectural framework for CSCW....Pages 103-118
A methodology for CSCW....Pages 119-124
Back Matter....Pages 125-140
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