An ontology-based distributed case-based reasoning for virtual enterprises

Due to the advent of knowledge-based economy and virtual enterprise business model, the enterprises get the knowledge not only from themselves but also from others. In order to support knowledge retrieval in virtual enterprises, the distributed case-based reasoning system (DCBRs) plays an important role for enabling knowledge-driven virtual enterprises. Hence, this paper aims to develop a mechanism for ontology-based distributed case-based reasoning using characteristic of ontology and a proposed multistage algorithm, to effectively support knowledge retrieval within the virtual enterprise environment. This study involves the following tasks: (i) designing an ontologybased distributed case-based reasoning architecture and procedure, (ii) developing techniques related to the ontology-based distributed case-based reasoning, and (iii) implementing an ontology-based distributed case-based reasoning mechanism. In developing techniques related to the ontology-based distributed case-based reasoning, which involves definition and representation of user query model, definition and representation of case model, definition and establishment of case index structure, and development of distributed case retrieval and case adaptation methods.