Abstract
Continuous pressure for competitiveness increase led to the concept of enterprise integration. Within this context a modular approach to enterprise modelling, structuring it into manageable units which cooperate with each other according to identified needs and sharing information on request, is mandatory. The approach presented here encompasses a Modelling Workbench supporting the development of applications for the management and control of manufacturing operations: an integrated modelling and simulation environment providing both material and information flow modelling facilities, as well as the integration of material and information now executable models. Building on Simple++, a simulation tool supporting material flow modelling, a class library allowing the use of SDL (Specification and Description Language) for information flow modelling and simulation was developed. The paper also illustrates the SDL environment concept and its significance in the integrated model, as well as its use for shop floor CIM systems realization through stepwise integration.

Abstract
This paper discusses some of the challenges presently found both in supply chain and in extended enterprise management. It also presents details of a Distributed Business Process Coordination Infrastructure that was used as a platform in the development of a software-based management system for a global supply chain in the garment sector. The pilot implementation that was undertaken allowed not only the validation of the proposed concepts but the testing of the integrated technological platform as well.

Abstract
This paper proposes an enterprise modelling language (EML) for model-based shop floor control. To introduce a new computer executable modelling language, two modelling frameworks were analysed, namely the CIMOSA and GERAM frameworks. This language covers the different life cycle phases of enterprise modelling (design, implementation and operation), allowing an easy and fast transition from each phase to the next. In the operation phase the models can be used to control and monitor (on-line) the enterprise resources behaviour. Section 3 presents an example of an operational model, based on the proposed EML, for real-time enterprise activity control. Despite the fact that the proposed modelling language does not intend to be a full CIMOSA compliant language, it could easily be a first step in that direction. Section 4 tries to validate this hypothesis by showing how a CIMOSA model (functional view), could be built based on the proposed EML.

Abstract
The investigation of existing architectures of CIM shop floor control systems has shown that they often fail to give the user a really usable tool. Usabilitity requirements such as ease of utilisation, installation and maintenance are not generally met. High engineering costs are an immediate result of these deficiencies leading to higher system costs and rendering these important tools inaccessible to the industry. INESC Industrial Automation Group has been undertaking R&D work in this field for the last six years, both through european and national projects. The results of one of these european projects ESPRIT Project 5478 Shop-Control, are now being installed in Portugal. The installation of this state-of-the-art tool calls far a considerable though expected effort, since Shop-Control is basically an integrated set of plant floor management tools that need special customisation to meet different shop floor requirements. Moreover, as a state-of-the-art shop floor control architecture, it aims at providing interoperability, integrating existing systems at the shop floor level as well as at management level. Since even state-of-the-art tools should be simple to install and use, a Decision Support System (DSS) supporting future Shop-Control installation teams on their task by allowing some installation automation as well as providing tools to manage the needed interoperability across different platforms, is being developed. Although biased by the Shop-Control and REAL-I-CIM (EP-8865) projects, a genuine effort is being made to make this Decision Support System a generic tool. This paper puts into perspective the relevance of CIM systems decision support, and describes the specification, design and testing of a novel DSS for shop floor CIM systems design, testing and installation.

Abstract
Within the scope of virtual and networked enterprises, this paper introduces a novel methodology for the integration of quality management into enterprise modeling and allowing for quality certification of the whole enterprise. The ISO 9001:2000 standard is presented as an interesting starting point for the virtual enterprise quality management system implimentation. Quality management systems certification within the scope of ISO 10011 (or even ISO FDIS 19011) is however quite a difficult task. An alternative scenario for certification is therefore proposed.