FALLON, Richard Lindsay (2021). The impact of conceptual structures on transaction and enterprise architecture practices. Doctoral, Sheffield Hallam University.
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Fallon_2021_PhD_ImpactConceptualStructures.pdf - Accepted Version
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Fallon_2021_PhD_ImpactConceptualStructures.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.
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Abstract
This research hypothesises is Conceptual Structures using the Resource Event Agent
(REA) ontology adds value when defining a Transaction Oriented Architecture (TOA)
for Enterprise Systems.
Enterprise Systems drive global economic growth through well-designed implementations
that provide organisations with multiple benefits, including streamlined business
processes, increased efficiencies, improved productivity and decreased costs. Conversely,
poorly implemented Enterprise Systems can lead to poor operating results.
Most Enterprise Systems still use traditional methods of storing economic data mirroring
the double-entry bookkeeping system, which can cause several problems, including
data loss and repetition. Enterprise Systems must capture transaction data in a format
available to multiple business processes to fulfil their goals.
This thesis provides an overview of the currently available frameworks for Enterprise
Architecture design. It details the problems that are observed and experienced during
the completion of real-world Enterprise System development projects. The basis of the
Transaction Concept is then presented as the general solution, leading to a TOA for
Enterprise Systems. The Transaction Pyramid describes TOA through three layers of
transactions: Enterprise, Business, and Database.
The Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) is used as the primary research
methodology to provide a framework to this research. Together with the secondary
research method of Action Research to provide a more granular basis for DSRM Step
3 : "Design and development", which required multiple minor iterations of the cyclical
process of Action Research to produce the required artefacts. The case study approach
is used also as a secondary research method for empirical inquiry and investigation
required for DSRM step 4: "Demonstration".
A Knowledge Management System is defined to validate TOA, and artefacts are
implemented for an Automated REA (AREA) based on Protégé Frames to underpin
TOA as a Proof of Concept. AREA provides a fully-
edged, TOA design tool
for Enterprise Architecture using the REA ontology. AREA's Knowledge Repository
uses Conceptual Structures through a) the ISO Common Logic standard's Conceptual
Graph Interchange Format (CGIF) to store and transmit the TOA using an REA
ontology, and b) Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) for validation. AREA is then demonstrated
and evaluated using two industrial case studies as exemplars. These Findings
support the research's hypothesis and its contribution to knowledge.
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