Short answer

Implement or advocate for digital infrastructure that supports the rapid formation and dissolution of collaborative teams or supplier networks to respond quickly to market demands.

Field
Commercial Production
Source
IEEE Internet Computing (2009)
Method
System development and case study application
Evidence
Strong effect

Leveraging Internet-based systems for the formation and operation of instant virtual enterprises (IVEs) significantly boosts supply chain agility and efficiency in complex product development. This commercial production research insight is drawn from a 2009 study published in IEEE Internet Computing. Using System development and case study application, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Implement or advocate for digital infrastructure that supports the rapid formation and dissolution of collaborative teams or supplier networks to respond quickly to market demands.

Study
Commercial ProductionHigh ImpactStrong effect

Automated Internet Support for Dynamic Virtual Enterprises Enhances Agility

Leveraging Internet-based systems for the formation and operation of instant virtual enterprises (IVEs) significantly boosts supply chain agility and efficiency in complex product development.

IEEE Internet Computing · 2009

01

Key Findings

  • 01Internet-based systems can automate the formation and management of instant virtual enterprises (IVEs).
  • 02Automated support for IVEs enhances the agility and efficiency of global business processes.
  • 03The CrossWork system provides a framework for such automated support.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Implement or advocate for digital infrastructure that supports the rapid formation and dissolution of collaborative teams or supplier networks to respond quickly to market demands.

How to apply

When designing products or services that require complex, multi-organizational supply chains, consider how digital tools can facilitate the formation and management of temporary, specialized teams or partnerships.

Project actions

  • 01Consider how your design project could benefit from or facilitate temporary collaborations between different entities.
  • 02Explore existing digital platforms that enable remote teamwork and project management.
03

Method & Evidence

AimHow can Internet-based systems automate the creation and operation of instant virtual enterprises to improve the agility and efficiency of global business processes?
MethodSystem development and case study application
ProcedureThe authors developed the CrossWork system, an Internet-based platform designed to automate the composition, setup, and execution of global business processes for IVEs. The system's effectiveness was illustrated through its application in the automotive domain.
ContextBusiness supply chains, particularly in complex product development environments like the automotive industry.

Variables

IVInternet-based support systems for IVEs
DVAgility and efficiency of business processes
CVComplexity of products/services, competitive market demands
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Addresses a critical need for agility in modern supply chains.
  • +Proposes a concrete system (CrossWork) for achieving this.

Limitations

The complexity of setting up and managing real-world virtual enterprises means that simplified testing might not fully capture the challenges.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the system's automation and the validity of the claimed improvements in agility and efficiency would need to be rigorously tested in real-world scenarios beyond the case study.

Think critically

To what extent can the principles of automated IVE support be applied to smaller-scale design projects or non-commercial collaborative efforts?

05

Design Principles

"Agile collaboration is enabled by flexible, digitally-supported organizational structures."

In today's competitive landscape, the ability to rapidly form and dissolve collaborative business units is crucial. This research highlights how digital platforms can streamline the creation and management of these dynamic partnerships, enabling faster response times and more efficient resource utilization across distributed organizations.

06

What This Means for Your Design

Using online tools to quickly create and manage temporary teams of different companies can make businesses much faster and better at getting things done, especially in industries like car manufacturing.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference this research when discussing the need for flexible supply chains or collaborative design processes in your design project.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The research by Grefen et al. (2009) demonstrates that Internet-based support systems can significantly enhance the agility and efficiency of global business processes by automating the formation and operation of instant virtual enterprises (IVEs). This is particularly relevant for complex product development, where dynamic collaboration across autonomous organizations is essential for competitive advantage.

09

Source

IEEE Internet Computing

Internet-based support for process-oriented instant virtual enterprises

journal · 2009

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about automated internet support for dynamic virtual enterprises enhances agility?
Implement or advocate for digital infrastructure that supports the rapid formation and dissolution of collaborative teams or supplier networks to respond quickly to market demands. Evidence: IEEE Internet Computing (2009).
Why does "Automated Internet Support for Dynamic Virtual Enterprises Enhances Agility" matter for design?
In today's competitive landscape, the ability to rapidly form and dissolve collaborative business units is crucial. This research highlights how digital platforms can streamline the creation and management of these dynamic partnerships, enabling faster response times and more efficient resource utilization across distributed organizations.
How can designers apply this research?
Implement or advocate for digital infrastructure that supports the rapid formation and dissolution of collaborative teams or supplier networks to respond quickly to market demands.
What were the main findings?
Internet-based systems can automate the formation and management of instant virtual enterprises (IVEs).. Automated support for IVEs enhances the agility and efficiency of global business processes.. The CrossWork system provides a framework for such automated support.
What research method was used?
System development and case study application.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2009 journal from IEEE Internet Computing.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing products or services that require complex, multi-organizational supply chains, consider how digital tools can facilitate the formation and management of temporary, specialized teams or partnerships.
What are the limitations?
The study focuses on a specific system (CrossWork) and a particular domain (automotive), which may limit generalizability to all industries or all types of virtual enterprises.