Problems of and Mechanisms for Instantiating Virtual Organizations

Abstract

In the past, significant accomplishments in science, engineering or business were the product of the work of an individual, or a small, tightly knit work group. However, today accomplishments of merit are often produced within the context of dynamic, distributed, multi-organizational collaborations whose participates are drawn from different, autonomously operated ”physical” organizations. We call these collaborations virtual organizations, or VOs.

By sharing the resources and capabilities of its participants with other members of the collaboration, a VO provides value not found in traditional organizational structures. However, the dynamic and multi-institutional nature of a VO creates unique challenges to resource sharing. We require mechanisms for formulation and enforcement of VO wide security, usage policies, resource management, and a means of mapping these mechanisms into the corresponding policies and mechanisms of the physical organizations from which the virtual organization draws resources and services.