B2B Integration : A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce

150 B2B Integration — A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce
industry. These business processes are defined according to a wellknown
model, described in agreed-upon formats, which is made publicly
available and which can be contractual in nature.
As discussed, in B2B applications business processes span corporate
boundaries. Each company has its own applications and workflow
implementation technology. In such a case, loose coupling based on
predefined external protocols provides integration of business processes.
These protocols are message oriented, specify the flow of messages
representing activities among the trading partners in a business process
and standardize the format and content of the messages, leaving the
implementation part completely opaque. Each company can have its
own implementation, which is completely changeable at any time as
long as the generated messages are based on the protocol.
For instance, RosettaNet, an independent consortium, is standardizing
business process standards by publishing XML-based Partner Interface
Processes (PIPs) for IT, electronic components and semiconductor
industry. The PIPs define processes for a wide range of business
activities in this specific industry, such as inventory, pricing, sales
management, order handling, product configuration and shipping.
Electronic Business XML (ebXML), which is jointly sponsored by
the United Nations Center for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business
(UN/CEFACT) and the Organization for the Advancement of Structured
Information Standards (OASIS), provides a standard method exchanging
business messages, conducting trading of relationships, communicating
data in common terms and defining and registering business processes.
A detailed coverage of RosettaNet and ebXML can be found in the
chapter on XML Standards.
5.6. Conclusion
BPM enables enterprises to automate and integrate the disparate internal
and external corporate business processes. It does so through the effective
and efficient design, deployment, execution, management and analysis
of business processes. BPM enhances flexibility, adaptability and servicelevel
management, while making the business more visible, measurable
and auditable.