Business Information Systems Integration: .... between applications: one app calls ... Based on Business Process Management (BPM) and Service Oriented.
Business Information Systems Integration: Based on Chained Web Services. Future in multi-dimensional agri-food supply chain networks. By: Prof. Adrie J M Beulens, Dr. Sjaak Wolfert, Dr. Huub Scholten and Ayalew Kassahun (MSc).
Introduction:
Agri-food enterprises operate in complex and dynamic environment. For compliance with rules and regulations and for competitiveness continuous innovation on level of Agri Food Supply Chain Network (AFSCN) is a necessity. Pertains to innovation of:
Products, Processes (Management and Execution), Ways of cooperation and ‘ orchestration’ in AFSCN processes.
We pose: Information sharing and organizing ICT are main critical areas for that innovation. In turn: ICTdevelopment in AFSCN encompasses Information integration tasks even for Farmer.
Introduction (2):
Allow me to briefly commemorate a good friend who recently passed away (30/7/2009). Prof.dr. Jaap Wessels passed away at age of 70. He was the supervisor of a large number of now full professors in the Netherlands. He was a good friend and colleague of many of us and of IIASA.
Presentation outline
What are the main challenges for information integration to enhance networked enterprises?
Problem context: agri-food Research objectives Research approach Major results
Integration framework State-of-the-art arable farming Future vision
Conclusions and outlook
Challenges in agri-food business
Sector-specific characteristics include:
Fresh products Seasonable production Many SMEs particularly at farm level
Main challenges
‘license to produce’ • consumers & society • food safety and transparency
Global competition (EU, WTO) Demand-driven Innovation: knowledge-based production
Operate in multi-dimensional, dynamic networks
law & regulation horizontal fulfillment
multi-dimensional Agri-Food Supply Chain Networks (AFSCN)
innovation
geographic cluster
• information for communication and control • ICT plays a crucial role • farm is a focal company Vertical
Network governance: 1. managerial discretion (plan)
Network governance: 2. standardization
S
S
S
S
S
S
Network governance: 3. mutual adjustment
Network governance in multi-dimensional networks
managerial discretion (plan)
emphasis on standardization and mutual adjustment
flexibility between enterprises and processes through choice of goverance mechanism and associated information sharing
Approaches for information integration and standardization
one standard system
point-to-point interfaces
only in case of managerial discretion costly complex
integration standards
most desirable not easy to organize
S
Integration Framework ENTERPRISE 1
ENTERPRISE 2
Process
Process
co-ordination
INTRA Application interoperability
Data data sharing
Enter prise Inte gration
Application INTER Enterprise Integration
Physical Infrastructure
Data
Physical Infrastructure
connectivity Adapted from Giachetti 2004
Physical integration standardization
ENTERPRISE 2 Process
Application
connection between devices:
Data
computers, machines, products, … Physical Infrastructure
standards:
1. interface: PLC, RFID 2. communication: • network protocols: TCP/IP & PPP • transport protocols: HTTP, FTP, SMTP
Data integration standardization
ENTERPRISE 2 Process
Application
Data
message format and data definitions Physical Infrastructure XML has replaced EDI intra-enterprise: article coding (EAN), STEP inter-enterprise: eCommerce
former: EDIFACT, ANSI X12 now/future: ebXML = set of standardized XML messages for transactions, businesss relations, etc.
Application integration standardization
ENTERPRISE 2 Process
Application
between applications: one app calls another and receives on-line response several applications are considered as components of one aligned system intra-enterprise:
former/now: ERP now/future: web services
Data
Physical Infrastructure
Process integration standardization
ENTERPRISE 2 Process
Application
Data
Physical Infrastructure
reference process and data models intra-enterprise: CIMOSA, ERP-ref. models (SAP, Infor), ISA-95 inter-enterprise: VERA, SCOR, CPFR
Reflecting to the framework for arable AFSCNs
physical connectivity: no major problems data exchange
machines: ISOBUS/ISO11873 between field and farm level insufficient inter-enterprise: ‘EDI-teelt’ assocation
application
intra: FMSs (should be like ERP but aren’t) inter: FMSs: some point-to-point interfaces
Reflecting to the framework for arable AFSCNs
process:
currently no active reference models past: INSP, IMOPA (intra-enterprise level); could still be useful
Current situation “Arable NL”
research institute
advice
advisory service
p2p
field
fertilizers, pesticides, etc.
product information
EDI-circle
products transporter/ collector
products
operations
p2p input supplier
markets
EDI-Teelt
ISOBUS monitoring data
information
restrictions
instructions
OAI-PMH
knowledge
Artik+
farm management system
p2p
government
EDI-Teelt+?
farm
registration
data suppliers
registration regulations
weather, cultivars, etc.
processing industry
State of the art Arable Farming Process Integration Application Integration Data Integration Physical Infrastructure
Intra +/-
Inter --
-
--
+/-
+/-
++
++
Other agri-food sectors are more or less comparable See paper for more details!
Problems
Conclusion: level of standardization for data, application and process integration is poor
efforts and error-sensitivity for collecting, converting, exchanging of information are high decision-support/making is sub-optimal transparency/accountability administrative burdens
Vision for the future
Business in the lead and responsible!
Business processes must be leading
Human and organizational change Commitment and vision at both ‘CEO-level’ and ‘workers level’ Co-operation and co-ordination in all dimensions of AFSCNs (as much as possible) Rapid re-configuration approach using dynamic modelling and component repositories Based on Business Process Management (BPM) and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Alignment of and interdependency between all integration types and levels
Sector-specific, open models and standards
Based on cross-industry models/standards (e.g. OpenGIS, ebXML, XBRL) Standards organizations • •
execution by (ICT) consultants innovation by researchers
ICT developments in general business
Island automation
ERP
skip this step?
Open architecture (SOA-BPM)
Solving the chicken-egg dilemma: organic growth
business case
business case
business case
joint
business case
business case
business case
egg!
egg!
egg!
Long-term vision: BPM/SOA architecture and Standards Organization Step 1
Step 2
Co-ordinate Joint Initiatives (KodA, Geoboer, Plantform, GrKN, etc.)
Statement
developing AIS is not just building complete new information systems but primarily integrating existing information, holding a strong organizational component complex issue price information
farm register
cost analyses
Waterfall approach – possible pitfall requirements
design (blueprint)
match or mismatch?
implementation
evaluation
Iterative approach - prototyping initial problem requirements
evaluation
design
implementation maintenance
General framework for development C. Iterative Implementation Overall Development
B. Basic Design
………
Pilot C
Pilot B
Pilot A
Prototyping
A. Analy sis
Generic Integration Framework • Technical Architecture • Reference Information Model • Technical Infrastructure • Organizational Infrastructure
KodA I&S: example pesticide case pesticide database
EDI-Teelt standard
web service farm
farm
web web management service service
system
spraying machine
crop history
field
instruction
BPM description “spraying”
registration
pesticide data
additional restrictions
web service
web service
food processor
Environmental conditions
Legal conditions
Governmental organizations Quality assurance Regulations, rules
Society conditions
NGO, whole industry Observe the rules Own conditions
Market conditions
Business partners, market as whole Own policies and regulations Demands and offers 30/2 1
Managerial decisions
Strategic
Tactical
Supporting strategic statements More practically oriented Seasons life cycle plans Crop plan, resource planning
Strategic
Tactica l
Society conditions
Nature of business - Type of farming Long term resource plans Strategic partnerships Frames for tactical decisions
Legal conditions
Operational
Operational
Integration strategic and tactical ideas Most concrete plans in steps Concrete plans of growing, harvesting Personal scheduling, accounting
Market conditions 31/2 1
Problem definition for pesticide application government/society • environmental impact • reduce [usage(ai)/ha] environmental impact
food processor → consumer • residues •reduce product] [usage/kg residues [time applied] pesticide information
• reduce pests farmer • reduce costs • pest• apply reduction site-specific [costs/ha] [app/10m2]
not data but business processes are driving!
Challenges: Chaining Web Services
Model the processes around pesticide application, taking into account:
different environmental conditions managerial decisions at different levels
Integration/connection of different information systems: Chaining Web Services.
keep the business processes leading – understandable for users keep it flexible
Business process modeling using SOA business process management layer
production process
business service layer get restrictions information
get field and crop data
get cost analysis
get legal restrictions/ environmen tal points
update administration
application service layer
application
application
application
application
application
market 1
market 2
farm
research institute
government
Actor model knowledge
Research institute
Advisory service
Government
data
advice
Data supplier
request regulations contract, restrictions, etc.
order
Farmer
Input supplier
fertilizers, pesticides, etc.
order
Distribution + warehouse
Processor
produce + information
POS data
products
Consumer / market
Retailer
products
food
Business context model Non-production processes
production planning
Production processes
sign up contract
sow/ plant
cultivate
harvest
ship produce
Production support
apply regulations
use ICT technology
get advice/ data
get machinery services
get subsidies
Processor
Input supplier
Government
Advisory service
supplier customer quality finance and relationship relationship management administration management management
Swimlanes Calculation model service provider
Soil data service provider
LAI map service provider
Farm
N advice service provider Farm Management System
Fertilizer Machine
Send recommendation request
Send request for LAI (GIS) data Receive fertilizer map
Determine LAI (GIS) data
Receive LAI (GIS) data
Send fertilizer map to fertilizer machine
Fertilizer process Send request for soil data
Receive fertilizing information
Determine soil data
Receive soil data
Send request for fertilizer map advice calculation
Fertilizer map advice calculation
Receive fertilizer map advice
Send fertilizer map advice
Store fertilizing information
Ordering process example
Pesticide application planning for each season for each crop Determine Field
Identify field history and cropspecific pests and diseases
+
yes
Sufficient information?
no
Define crop protection plan
Request advice
+
+
Schedule pesticide application
+
From BPMN to webservices Business context Non-production processes
finance and administration
human resource management
sign up contract
sow/ plant
cultivate
harvest
ship produce
Production support
apply regulations
use ICT technology
get advice/ data
get machinery services
get subsidies
BPMN
business service layer get restrictions information
quality management
Production processes
business process management layer
production process
customer relationship management
Processor
Input supplier
Advisory service
Government
SOA architecture
supplier relationship management
get field and crop data
get cost analysis
get legal restrictions/ environmen tal points
update administration
application service layer
application
application
application
application
application
market 1
market 2
farm
research institute
government
web services
BPEL code
XML code of webservices
Iterative implementation by Living Labs research & education
new knowledge/models
knowledge models practical problems
solutions
solutions
ICT business new solutions
agri-food business & government
open innovatio n process
innovations
Main challenges
How to construct sector-specific SOA-architectures, adopting worldwide cross-industry standards and building upon existing industry standards? How to use business process management (BPM) concepts, including ‘best practice’ models, to allow flexible configuration of specific processes integrations? How to organize broad commitment, to embed developments in sustainable institutional arrangements, and to let it grow organically? Concerted Action is needed for coordination and knowledge exchange in different sectors and in different countries at the European level
Ideas, proposals for the future
Set up an EU actions on ‘Information Integration and Standardization’ for knowledge-exchange and coordination
FP7 – concerted action project? Interreg-IV-C? Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) – thematic network use EFITA as a vehicle?
Involve EU agri-food businesses Unite initiatives: EDI-teelt (NL), AgroXML (DE), AgroEDI (FR), …? Next step: EU-RTD projects Connect to initiatives in other sectors (CHESS).
