Advances in Networked Enterprises: Virtual Organizations, Balanced Automation, and Systems Integration

New market trends and the emergence of the so-called Internet-based ‘new economy' are leading companies to new forms of organization, mostly relying on privileged cooperation links. Nowadays, most manufacturing processes are not carried out by single enterprises. Rather, organizations feel the need to focus on their core competencies and join efforts with others, in order to fulfill the requirements of new products/services demanded by the global market. In a cooperative networked organizat...