Collaborative Modelling and Metamodelling with the Enterprise Knowledge Architecture

Abstract

This paper presents the Modelling Platform for Collaborative Enterprises (MPCE) currently being developed in the ATHENA project. The platform enables interoperability between enterprises by providing an environment where most aspects of the collaboration can be negotiated and described as enterprise models and metamodels. It also facilitates business interaction by executing the models. We here introduce the metamodelling framework of the MPCE, known as the Enterprise Knowledge Architecture (EKA). The EKA can represent models on any metalevel in a uniform way. It departs from the conventional ordered meta-levels of software engineering. Instead it treats models as a constellation of mutually reflective, partial views, e.g. different views from different companies. Currently five tools are exchanging models through this framework, and we plan to submit it for standardization.