Preface

摘要

Collaborative Networks (CNs) play a key role in the ongoing process of digital transformation in industry and services. Although the CN area is relatively young, its history is longer than two decades, as is also reflected in the series of PRO-VE conferences. A number of major milestones can be identified through these decades in the CN's "revolution." The theme of the conference this year recognizes this fact and focuses on launching new ideas for its latest milestone. As we look back in time, the first generation of the CN area was developed around the concept of extended enterprises and virtual enterprises. The focus of this first generation was to achieve the right design for these kinds of networks, to identify its constitutive elements, and to promote organized collaboration. The second generation of the CN area focused on better application of the ICT concepts and technologies to complement developments of its first generation. Furthermore, the idea of the breeding environment rose as the natural key concept to support different life cycle stages of the collaborative networks. The third generation of the CN area focused on supporting the inter- and trans-CN collaboration and networks co-creation. We can summarize these earlier milestones of the CN area as follows: 1.Collaborative Networks 1.0 - primarily addressing the operation and management of goal-oriented networks, including the supply chains, extended enterprises, virtual enterprises, and virtual organizations.