Information exchange for effective knowledge management: a translation service using process specification language

Differences in the structure and semantics of data that is created and maintained by the various actors within a business network make its exchange and utilization a problematic task. This is an important issue facing organizations undertaking knowledge management initiatives. We argue that ontologies can contribute towards the solution of the problem by aiding the conceptualization and design of a translation service between business units. A model for the implementation of such a service is offered based on the process specification language (PSL).