ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the netcentric architecture concepts and framework by discussing the issues and future scenarios associated with collaborative computing solutions. Collaboration focuses on supporting the nondeterministic, interpersonal, people aspects of complex business processes. Many people believe that the future belongs to flat, non-hierarchic, market-like, flexible enterprises that enable autonomous knowledge workers to instantly form flexible teams to conduct business processes, respond to opportunities, and solve problems. It is cheaper to move information through an organization via a hierarchy. One way to begin to understand how to enable more effective collaboration is to understand the nature of a particular type of collaborative activity. Collaboration covers a very wide area, and it is necessary to further refine different collaborative scenarios if it is to be seen how technology might be applied to improve the overall effectiveness of a given scenario.
