Strategic Industrial Alliances in Paper Industry: XML- vs Ontology-Based Integration Platforms

Purpose: To identify cases related to design of ICT platforms for industrial alliances, where the use of Ontology-driven architectures based on Semantic web standards is more advantageous than application of conventional modeling together with XML standards. Design/methodology/approach: A comparative analysis of the two latest and the most obvious use cases (NASA and Nordic Process Industry Data Exchange Alliance) concerned with development of an environment for integration and collaboration of industrial partners, has been used as a basis for the research results. Additionally, dynamics of changes in a domain data model and their consequences have been analyzed on a couple of typical use cases. Findings: Ontology-driven architectures of a collaboration and integration ICT platforms have been recognized as more appropriate for a technical support of industrial alliances around a supply-chains with a long life cycles. Research limitations/implications: More typical cases related to changes in domain data/knowledge models and to necessity of their integration, have to be considered and analyzed in search of advantageous of ontological modeling over conventional modeling approaches. Ways of a gradual change from conventional domain models to ontological ones in ICT systems have to be studied. The significance of existing XML-based tools and the popularity of XML has to be estimated for the wide adoption of Semantic web principles. Practical implications: The modeling approach which will be used as a core for building a collaboration and integration ICT platforms has to be carefully selected. Incorrect choice (e.g. UML together with XML) can cause consequences that will be hard to reform. The paper is anticipated to facilitate faster adoption of the Semantic web approach by industry. Originality/value: The serious revision of existing and emerging domain modeling approaches has been undertaken. More unique arguments in favor of ontological modeling have been discovered. The paper is intended for serious consideration by emerging industrial alliances with regard to their choice in a core technology that will technically enable integration and collaboration between partners.