Ontology and Enterprise Engineering

Abstract

Now that the distinction between black-box models and white-box models has been made clear, the question about their roles in enterprise engineering can be addressed. By enterprise engineering we mean the whole body of knowledge regarding the development, implementation, and operational use of enterprises, as well as its practical application in engineering projects. The term “engineering” is used here in the broad sense, as in mechanical engineering and civil engineering. It should not be confused with the use of same term in the narrow sense, namely as a phase in the development process of systems (enterprises, information systems, etc.), which we will address shortly. Enterprise engineering is not a discipline yet, comparable to electrical engineering or civil engineering. It is our conviction however that this discipline is badly needed, now, and certainly in the near future. With this book we hope to demonstrate the need for developing the discipline of enterprise engineering and to address a part of its contents.