Authors:
Wim Laurier
;
Maxime Bernaert
and
Geert Poels
Affiliation:
Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium
Keyword(s):
Reference Model, Resource-Event-Agent, Ontology.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Artificial Intelligence
;
Data Engineering
;
Enterprise Information Systems
;
Information Systems Analysis and Specification
;
Knowledge Engineering and Ontology Development
;
Knowledge Management and Information Sharing
;
Knowledge-Based Systems
;
Modeling of Distributed Systems
;
Ontologies and the Semantic Web
;
Ontology Engineering
;
Semiotics
;
Symbolic Systems
Abstract:
This paper introduces a new Resource-Event-Agent (REA) reference model that integrates the transaction and conversion reference models provided by McCarthy, which aimed at designing databases for accounting information systems, and Hruby, which aimed at software development for enterprise information systems, into a single conceptual model that accounts for both inter-enterprise and intra-enterprise processes. This consolidated reference model was developed to support data integration between multiple enterprises and different kinds of enterprise information systems (e.g. ERP, accounting and management information systems). First, the state of the art in REA reference models is addressed, presenting McCarthy’s and Hruby’s reference models and assessing their ability to represent exchanges (e.g. product for money), transfers (e.g. shipment) and transformations (e.g. production process). Second, the new, consolidated REA enterprise reference model is introduced. Third, object model tem
plates are presented, demonstrating that the consolidated REA reference model is able to represent exchanges, transfers and transformations, where McCarthy’s and Hruby’s reference models can each only represent two of these features.
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