Web based Integration of MES and Operational BI

Internet and web-based technologies increase the informal networks within and across organizations. This implies an acceleration of changing basic conditions and forces the embracement of innovative technologies to achieve flexible business processes. However, current research indicates a lack of flexibility in enterprise applications with negative effects on customer satisfaction and service orientation. Hence, the paper’s arguments build up on the hypothesis that a web service (WS) based integration approach is beneficial for a conjoint process oriented and flexible decision support oriented infrastructure. A combination of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Operational Business Intelligence (OpBI) is discussed, because both concepts are promising support of process flexibility. In result an architecture scheme demonstrates a WS oriented interaction of MES and OpBI functions. In conclusion the effort of information gathering can be reduced. The use of web-based technologies in context of operational decision making facilitates a comprehensive synchronization of business processes with flexibility-enhancing effects.