Business Processing (BPEL) built upon Semantic Web Services (SWS) would enable Business Processing for Semantic Web Services (BPEL4SWS). Semantic Business Process Management (SBPM) would enable accessing process space of an enterprise at the knowledge level so as to support reasoning about discovery and mediation, business processes, process composition, process execution, process monitoring, and analysis.
Finally, Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) is a combination of OWL and Rule Markup Language (RuleML.) SWRL extends OWL-Descriptive Logic (OWK-DL) and is a Reasoner language that is portable to third party tools.
Many disciplines are now developing standardized ontologies that domain experts can use to share and annotate information in their fields. Europe has substantial commitment behind Semantic Web to establish Semantics as a core pillar of modern computer engineering. With the European Semantic Systems Initiative (ESSI) now under the umbrella of Semantic Technology Institute (STI) International, companies participating in these organizations will be able to take the lead in developing new business models and improving the way people and businesses communicate and interact.
In one particular discipline, there is the W3C Semantic Web Health Care and Life Sciences Interest Group (HCLSIG). This group is chartered to develop and support the use of Semantic Web technologies to improve collaboration, research and development, and innovation adoption in the Health Care and Life Science domains. Other examples in the medical field, has produced large, standardized, structured vocabularies such as SNOMED (Price and Spackman 2000.) Other areas include Pharmaceutical, Oil & Gas, Auto Repair and Diagnostics, and Legal to name a few.
There are open source and commercial tools available today to start developing a corporate "Semantic" ontology. However, change is disruptive; the beneficiaries of this technology will go to those who understand this technology is a design style that enables businesses to increase flexibility and agility. To achieve these advantages, an organization must embrace "Semantic Ontology" as a lifestyle change.
Again, Semantic Ontology is something an organization does, not buy or out sources. Semantic Ontology is a new way to design systems, and it is more about culture than it is about technology. Semantic Ontology requires a different mindset, and it requires discipline in the way corporations view and valuate their information. To improve the chances for success, an organization must establish discipline through a strong long-term commitment, training, and governance program.
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.