DIISM’98,                       ! "# $%&’(%)&&*$%) + ’,,) -- .$*%.(’ 1 A Framework for Cooperation in Virtual Enterprises L. M. Camarinha-Matos, C. Lima New University of Lisbon - Faculty of Sciences and Technology Quinta da Torre - 2825 Monte Caparica - Portugal {cam, cpl}@uninova.pt Abstract The concept of virtual enterprise challenges the way industrial production systems are planned and managed. The materialization of this paradigm, although enabled by recent developments in communication technologies, computer networks, and cooperative systems still requires a full understanding of the processes of interaction between companies as well as the design and implementation of open support platforms. The reengineering of activities for a networked operation and the implantation methodologies considering not only the technical but also the socio-organizational aspects must be also taken into account. This paper describes the current approach being developed by the Esprit project PRODNET II 1 , which aims to design and develop an open platform to support industrial virtual enterprises with special focus on the needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Keywords Virtual Enterprises, Workflow management systems, Cooperative Systems, Information Interchange 1. Introduction Recent developments in various complementary areas such as communications, computer networks, cooperative systems, transportation logistics, and advanced information management, represent important enabling factors for emergence of new approaches to organize and manage manufacturing systems. In this context, networking of enterprises and outsourcing or subcontracting are particularly strong tendencies in terms of organization of the global manufacturing and supply chain processes. The concept of virtual enterprise (VE), as a temporary alliance of enterprises that come together to share skills and resources in order to better respond to business opportunities and whose cooperation is supported by computer networks, challenges the way industrial production systems are planned and managed. The advances in logistics, reducing the transportation costs and increasing the reliability of the supply flow, changed the meaning of the physical distance between the VE members. The main concerns are now related to the implementation of a real Electronic Data Interchange supporting the reliable exchange of orders, product models, catalog of products, product quality information and coordination messages. 1 This work is based on the ongoing activities of the European Union funded project entitled PRODNET II, the ESPRIT project 22647. It involves partners from Europe (CSIN, New University of Lisbon, ESTEC, Miralago, University of Amsterdam, Lichen Informatique, CIMIO, Uninova) and Latin America (Federal University of Santa Catarina and Herten), including Research Institutes, Engineering companies and end users. (Home page http://www.uninova.pt/~prodnet.)