Managing Semantic Models for Representing Intangible Enterprise Assets: The ARISTOTELE Project Software Architecture

Abstract

The wealth of modern enterprises has progressively shifted from tangible assets (capital, resources,) into intangible ones (knowledge, reputation, skills management, innovation processes,). Intangibles are closely related to the natural interactions normally occurring among work practices. This is where ideas, innovation, learning, knowledge, social cohesion, and other diverse intangibles synergistically contribute to performance, competition differentiators and value creation. In order to make these intangibles productive for the organization, we have to define suitable models for their correct representation in real contexts, as well as tools for their proper management in the workplace environment in a transparent way. All these aspects are the foundation of the ARISTOTELE research project. In this paper, we address two issues: i) the use of semantic technologies for modeling and cross relating relevant organizational assets, namely knowledge, competency, worker and learning, ii) how to design a software architecture for managing these models through the integration of ad-hoc developed tools and commercial off-the-shelf platforms.