Articles with keyword digital ecosystems
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Governance in the OPAALS Community
Abstract: This paper provides a theoretical overview of the field of governance with a special focus on the analytic perspectives concerning virtual research networks. We discuss network governance as translation of the classical socio-economic governance continuum of market and hierarchy into a hybrid model based on collaboration and trust, supported by explicit as well as implicit governance structures and processes. Furthermore we present some key results drawn from official OPAALS documents and from an ongoing online questionnaire study conducted in the OPAALS research community. The interpretation of these data gives an overview of the actual self-governance procedures and structures in an emerging research community. Furthermore, communication, interaction, and decision making structures are presented in the context of implicit and explicit rules that aim at building a transparent community based on collaboration.
Keywords: governance, digital ecosystems, networks, scientific networks, collaboration
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Presented in Session 1: Knowledge, collaboration, and governance on Tuesday October 7th. See presentation slides in PDF format.
The Community Networks and Digital Ecosystems Relationship
Abstract: This paper presents the possible relationships between Digital Ecosystem and Community Networks. Community Networks emerged from the '80s and '90s computer based community services and today are acquiring more understandings related to the public and the business worlds. Digital Ecosystems is a new concept emerging before any empirical declination. Therefore it is not clear nor simple to understand how the two entities could help each other. We suggest to analyse and compare them by using the Socio-Technical Infrastructures theory. In order to reach this goal a theoretical framework to support the description of these phenomena is presented by relying upon a set of shared dimensions. This intends to make translatable two realities that have important points of contact and potential synergies, as well as non-secondary differences. What we found is that Community Networks could provide community participation methodologies and ubiquitous broadband infrastructures to enable Digital Ecosystems' advanced services, while those services could increase the potential of CNs. The paper ends with some suggestions for future Digital Ecosystems research: improve the empirical and the policy research, and consider DEs application other than business ones.
Keywords: community networks, digital ecosystems, socio-technical perspective, infrastructures
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Presented in Session 2: Networks, sociology, and coordination on Tuesday October 7th.
Emerging Problems in the Digital Business Ecosystem
Abstract: The current research and development in the ITC has opened new opportunities and threats for both large corporations and SMEs alike. Many SMEs see the new Digital Ecosystem as a new open frontier where they can enter, innovate and compete with large corporations on an equal footing. This paper examines the role of the large corporations (the keystones) in the digital ecosystem and presents arguments about the emergence of two major problems that if left unanswered will result in creation of major entry barriers for SMEs. It briefly examines the definition and role of the keystones in both the business and digital ecosystems, pointing to the historical tendency of large corporations to try to create entry barriers and hence creating monopolies.The current structure of the scale-free networks in digital ecosystems, if not changed, provides natural environment for the growth of a few super-nodes or hubs that can in time dominate the networks. Similarly, the current proposed frameworks: Business Transaction Protocol and Web Services transaction (WS-Atomic Transactions and WS-Business Activity) lay the foundation not only for the creation of future monopolies or oligopolies, but also for forcing the SMEs to lose their local autonomy.
Keywords: keystone, scale-free networks, service-oriented architecture, coordination, digital ecosystems
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A Visualisation System for a Peer-to-Peer Information Space
Abstract: Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks provide new opportunities and challenges for distributing and using data and services without a centralised design. An interesting use case for P2P systems is the interplay of information repository and data visualisation applications. In this article, we investigate the potential of distributed information and data processing services and evaluate their applicability in visualisation systems. In short, we generalise our previous work of a pipeline-based client-server visualisation system, decentralising the pipeline components over a service network. We analyse this architecture with respect to the requirements of both P2P information repositories and visualisation applications, in the context of the required use cases. Finally, we demonstrate the technical implementation via pre-studies and discuss P2P knowledge as a complementary topic for P2P visualisations. The work is based on an ongoing research project that will deliver a component-based P2P visualisation system, in a European network of excellence thriving to establish a distributed open knowledge system as a digital ecosystem, based on the ideology of open source communities.
Keywords: visualisation, peer-to-peer networks, pipeline processing systems, digital ecosystems
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Presented in Session 3: Dynamic models and visualisations on Wednesday October 8th. See presentation slides in PDF format.
Notes on Relational Biology and Elementary Category Theory
Abstract: This paper is the first step in an exploration of the mathematical modelling of autopoiesis, using Robert Rosen’s M -R system as a central reference point. Category theory is introduced only informally in order to render the material more accessible to a wider audience. Rather than breaking any new ground in terms of mathematical results the paper aims to contextualise the concepts discussed within digital ecosystems and autonomic computing research.
Keywords: r-m system, autopoiesis, digital ecosystems, autonomic computing, mathematical biology
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Presented in Session 4: Autopoiesis and simulations on Wednesday October 8th. See presentation slides in PDF format.
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