Ontological Foundations of Conceptual Modelling Reconsidered: A Response

In their quest for theoretical foundations of conceptual modelling information systems researchers have turned to various disciplines for inspira- tion. However, the adaptation of theories, concepts, and vernaculars across disciplines has always proven to be difficult at least. In the debate paper "On Ontological Foundations of Conceptual Modelling" I have subjected the trans- position of Mario Bunge's ontology to an ontology for conceptual modelling (i.e., the so-called Bunge-Wand-Weber (BWW) ontology) to a critique. Six commentaries to the critique have been received. They are reviewed—not with the intention of a closing argument but rather with the intent to structure the debate, to clarify some misconceptions, and last but not least to encour- age the curious reader to carry on with the debate beyond the scope of this issue of the SJIS.