**3. Some collaborative systems**

Collaborative technologies fundament a large range of tools, systems and IT platforms that sustain collaboration in the modern global economy, contributing decisively on the consolidation of different types of virtual collaborative communities, virtual world constituting a reality superstructure.

To collaborate effectively, people work in various virtual teams, created quickly, spread around the world, and comprising colleagues, customers and partners. Working in these global team-based environments, people establish relationships that may be short-term project-focused or long-term and are evolving over time. With each new relationship, companies invest in selecting the right people, learning how to work together, and determining how to extract the most value in terms of revenues and profits (Pflaging, 2001). Integrating collaborative services with business functions allows companies to gain a significant competitive advantage. Information is shared more effectively, communication is more efficient, and companies can make quicker, more informed decisions. More specifically, companies can shorten sales cycles, accelerate product development, generate more transactions, increase partner/customer retention, and expedite problem resolution. Effective collaboration requires actions on multiple fronts: early involvement and the availability of resources to effectively collaborate; a culture that encourages teamwork, cooperation and collaboration; effective teamwork and team member cooperation; defined team member responsibilities based on collaboration; a defined product development process based on early sharing of information and knowledge; collocation or virtual

Collaborative enterprises differ from other businesses in a number of ways and collaborative working needs to be simultaneously a business philosophy, strategy and operational working. Resuming, collaborative enterprises are (Pflaging, 2001): (1) networked and collaborative; (2) - core-competence focused and virtual; (3) - transparent to customer and partners; (4) -customer and partners centric; (5) - multi-disciplinary, (6) community and team-based; (7) - strategically agile; (8) - change resilient and risk taking; (9) - knowledge creating and sharing; (10) - web-enabled; (11) - empowered and responsive. The more collaborative the environment is, the more knowledge will be available to make right decisions the first time (Collins, 2004). In non-collaborative environment, a large knowledge/decision gap exists early on. Using enterprise collaborative techniques, it is possible to make better use of a group's core understanding, thereby raising the starting

Establishing business processes and strategies for collaborative environments supposes : (1) - defining virtual collaboration and what it means for an organization; (2) - assessing the activities, tasks and initiatives that would benefit from virtual collaboration or virtual team work; (3) - examining work practices and the cultural implications of working within collaborative environments; understanding the role of trust among virtual team members for better awareness of group dynamics and social interactions; (4) - exploring with senior management the benefits of collaborative environments and teamwork, and their impacts on business models; (5) - developing a set of guidelines and a framework for a clearer definition of the changing nature of current work practices; and (6) - incorporating the performance

Collaborative technologies fundament a large range of tools, systems and IT platforms that sustain collaboration in the modern global economy, contributing decisively on the consolidation of different types of virtual collaborative communities, virtual world

level of knowledge available on an initiative and closing the gap.

metrics and the success of virtual collaborative environments.

**3. Some collaborative systems** 

constituting a reality superstructure.

**2. Collaborative environments** 

collocation; collaboration technology.

The orientation toward a collaborative business represents a necessity for developing a competitive business in the actual global economy (Muntean 2006; Ghilic-Micu, Stoica, Mircea, 2008). At the end of 2008, Forrester Research Inc. surveyed business environment inquiring about companies' opening towards adopting new IT collaborative platforms; a trend was obvious, more than 50% heading to collaborative technologies. Based on our research, we propose the adoption of portal platforms at the level of collaborative communities/environments, and followed by integration of a series of systems, collaborative instruments, and enterprise applications which help to consolidate portal's SOA architecture (Service Oriented Architecture) meant to sustain collaboration as a business strategy. It is obvious that collaborative systems maintain knowledge management (KM) at the level of collaborative environments, interfering into all stages of KM life cycle (subject will be developed in paragraph 4).

Without iterating different consecrated approaches in the field of collaborative systems (Mooney, 1974; Giboin, 2000; Marakas, 2003; Crabtree, 2003; Pels, Wortmann, 2003; Cil, Altrup, Yazgan, 2005; Kurdel, Sebestyenova, 2007; Niţchi, 2006, 2007, 2008), we will develop our scientific intercession around some consideration towards:


This can be achieved only with the help of portal technologies, at their level being integrated multi-agent systems with specific functions as well as a diverse range of conversational tools.

#### **3.1 Considerations regarding multi-agent systems**

Multi-agent systems (MAS) are computer based environments that contain multiple software agents to perform certain tasks (Turban, 2007). Multi-agent systems offer an innovative perspective on the capacity of configuration virtual communities. But some of their capabilities must be perfected, as follows (Muntean, 2009):


Some Collaborative Systems Approaches in Knowledge-Based Environments 383

Integration represents the key concept, around which portal technologies developed, with the help of some integration mechanisms/schemes like portlet, gadget, iView, skin or dashboard (Guruge, 2003). Portlets became the most popular ones, being the most efficient integrator in portal type architecture (Sullivan, 2003), the majority of portal server

In essence, the role of portlets at Application Layer is to be in charge of the correct functioning of information systems integrated into the portal's platform management, to make the necessary links with the Presentation Layer, and with the different sources of information/knowledge at Information Service Layer (Figure 2). Portlets permit the maintaining of attached applications independent of the rest of the portal. They cover the presentation level and business logic, but are connected to information/knowledge sources






Being an important factor from the KM triad, information technology, through collaborative systems exponents, contributes essentially to maximize knowledge value (Bair, 1998; Cain, 1999; Firestone, 2000, 2001, 2002; White, 2000; Bock, 2001; Barette, 2003; Guruge, 2003;

All these systems produce changes into the organizational structure, exercising managerial

the portal with the help of some mobile devices and vocal systems;

applications that sustain them covering the whole chain value;

decision making processes being marked by this desideratum.

Sullivan, 2003; Torsten, 2004; Collins, 2004; Hoolahen, 2005; Herrmann, 2006).

developers adopting this concept.

Fig. 2. Integration & Portlets

Collaborative and integration portal platform:

on knowledge, unitary platform portal;

maintained by a series of collaboration tools;

functions into business models throughout the world.

from back-end.


Agents in a multi-agent system are characterized by autonomy, adaptability, interoperability and dynamism. A multi-agent model includes a number of informative agents who share their results with a just-in-time middle agent (Maracine, 2007). The middle agent does not only suggest its own documents of relevance, but information found by other agents as well. Agents deposit information for later use by themselves or by other agents. In this way, knowledge sharing between agents is possible, but it is controlled in such a manner as to allow modular inclusion of agents within the framework.

From the knowledge management point of view different ways of sustaining this process must be developed, an important part being held by manipulation agents' knowledge in different ways.

It is obvious that developing MAS is a complex process which can raise real problems virtualizing some collaborative communities. In the last years it is ascertained the emergence of some specialized platforms for developing multi-agent systems, which contributes substantially to reducing the effort of developing those kinds of systems.

#### **3.2 Considerations on collaborative tools**

Collaboration tools or groupware, were the first tools to be used to enhance tacit knowledge transfer within an organization. Social or conversational technologies imposed themselves in the last years as tools that sustain knowledge management in collaborative environment (Wagner, Bolloju, 2004; Roll, 2004; Anghel, 2009).

Bypassing the stage of simple conversational support, these instruments maintain tacit knowledge dissemination at the community level, consolidating collaboration through offering various facilities of collaboration based on the considered environments' demands/necessities, in literature contouring the concept of "on demand collaboration anytime/ anywhere" (Marcus, Coleman, 2006). Therefore, it is recommended the integration of this kind of tools in IT virtualizing collaborative environments platforms.

We consider that:


#### **3.3 Considerations regarding portal technologies**

With each portal generation, portal producers promise amending of work quality through supplying extra services for the members of collaborative communities. These services are the result of integration and unification of different applications, information system and collaborative tools, necessary to maintain current activities, business processes held at the level of virtualized environment.

Integration represents the key concept, around which portal technologies developed, with the help of some integration mechanisms/schemes like portlet, gadget, iView, skin or dashboard (Guruge, 2003). Portlets became the most popular ones, being the most efficient integrator in portal type architecture (Sullivan, 2003), the majority of portal server developers adopting this concept.

Fig. 2. Integration & Portlets

382 New Research on Knowledge Management Models and Methods


Agents in a multi-agent system are characterized by autonomy, adaptability, interoperability and dynamism. A multi-agent model includes a number of informative agents who share their results with a just-in-time middle agent (Maracine, 2007). The middle agent does not only suggest its own documents of relevance, but information found by other agents as well. Agents deposit information for later use by themselves or by other agents. In this way, knowledge sharing between agents is possible, but it is controlled in such a

From the knowledge management point of view different ways of sustaining this process must be developed, an important part being held by manipulation agents' knowledge in

It is obvious that developing MAS is a complex process which can raise real problems virtualizing some collaborative communities. In the last years it is ascertained the emergence of some specialized platforms for developing multi-agent systems, which

Collaboration tools or groupware, were the first tools to be used to enhance tacit knowledge transfer within an organization. Social or conversational technologies imposed themselves in the last years as tools that sustain knowledge management in collaborative environment

Bypassing the stage of simple conversational support, these instruments maintain tacit knowledge dissemination at the community level, consolidating collaboration through offering various facilities of collaboration based on the considered environments' demands/necessities, in literature contouring the concept of "on demand collaboration anytime/ anywhere" (Marcus, Coleman, 2006). Therefore, it is recommended the integration




With each portal generation, portal producers promise amending of work quality through supplying extra services for the members of collaborative communities. These services are the result of integration and unification of different applications, information system and collaborative tools, necessary to maintain current activities, business processes held at the

of this kind of tools in IT virtualizing collaborative environments platforms.

contributes substantially to reducing the effort of developing those kinds of systems.

securing communication between agents).

**3.2 Considerations on collaborative tools** 

(Wagner, Bolloju, 2004; Roll, 2004; Anghel, 2009).

collaborative systems and technologies;

**3.3 Considerations regarding portal technologies** 

different ways.

We consider that:

life cycle stages;

their development effort.

level of virtualized environment.

manner as to allow modular inclusion of agents within the framework.

In essence, the role of portlets at Application Layer is to be in charge of the correct functioning of information systems integrated into the portal's platform management, to make the necessary links with the Presentation Layer, and with the different sources of information/knowledge at Information Service Layer (Figure 2). Portlets permit the maintaining of attached applications independent of the rest of the portal. They cover the presentation level and business logic, but are connected to information/knowledge sources from back-end.

Collaborative and integration portal platform:


Being an important factor from the KM triad, information technology, through collaborative systems exponents, contributes essentially to maximize knowledge value (Bair, 1998; Cain, 1999; Firestone, 2000, 2001, 2002; White, 2000; Bock, 2001; Barette, 2003; Guruge, 2003; Sullivan, 2003; Torsten, 2004; Collins, 2004; Hoolahen, 2005; Herrmann, 2006).

All these systems produce changes into the organizational structure, exercising managerial functions into business models throughout the world.

Some Collaborative Systems Approaches in Knowledge-Based Environments 385

We propose the following basic functional architecture (Figure 4) for a collaborative knowledge portal, having as an objective to facilitate the access to the knowledge base (as part of the organizational knowledge, which has been transposed to the portal) of the collaborative community members, the knowledge exchange between them and generally to

Among the functional components of the knowledge portal we have highlighted the following four major categories: process support, collaboration, content management and personalization (Note. The four major functionalities (content/document management, collaboration, process support and personalization), guide to the outlining of the service oriented architecture, unlike other functionalities, which only provide the operation of the

Fig. 4. The functional architecture of a knowledge portal (Jansen, Bach, Osterle, 2000)

According to the defined collaboration, knowledge management comes to consolidate the collaborative community and through the client orientation it opens the environment to the necessities and requirements of the clients. The level of interest in knowledge management has grown rapidly during recent years as enterprises recognize that they operate in a knowledge economy and that knowledge is their most valuable asset. At the same time knowledge management theories and technologies have reached the maturity level required

Considering the knowledge management life cycle consisting of phases like (Muntean,

we present a possible maintenance based on a knowledge portal infrastructure (Figure 6).

**5. Knowledge management approaches** 

for business confidence and endorsement.

2. knowledge management/storage,

1. knowledge generation,

3. knowledge dissemination, 4. knowledge auditing,

2009):

**5.1 A model for the knowledge management life cycle** 

provide a knowledge flow in the whole virtual community.

portal in the imposed parameters or, indirectly, sustain these four.)
