How to view XML-based E-Contracts

AbstractThis paper describes the process of outsourcing activities of a virtual enterprise, and proposes an electronic contract (E-Contract) model based on XML language to describe the outsourcing activities. It also analyzes the purpose and content of the E-Contract, and then defines the Document Type Definition (DTD) of the E-Contract, which enables enterprises to quickly find outsourcing operations that match their needs and form virtual enterprises. Keywords virtual enterprise; outsourcing; XML; e-contract 1 virtual enterprise 1.1 virtual enterprise the so-called virtual enterprise (VirtualEnterprise), is mainly for the rapid changes in market demand, the product cycle is increasingly shortening the status quo, through the application of information network technology, by the two or more enterprises to form a temporary network enterprise. In the process of cooperation, the members of each enterprise do not interfere with each other, and *** with the sharing of risks, *** with the sharing of benefits; when the expected goal is achieved, the organization will be dissolved [1] [2].1.2 Outsourcing (Outsourcing) for the composition of the virtual enterprise necessary conditions, that is, the enterprise in the operation of the value chain activities, only focus on the core business, non-core business outsourcing to other enterprises or organizations, to strengthen the core business, and to strengthen the core business. or organizations, to strengthen the core business, improve the competitiveness of the enterprise, and make the enterprise organization more flexible way [2].1.3 Outsourcing business description of the problem exists due to the outsourcing of services involves a number of enterprises or organizations, the enterprises in the outsourcing of business activities, outsourcing activities are not the same description, which makes outsourcing business in the exchange of information in the process of the existence of a salient problem is the variety of data formats This makes the outsourcing business have a prominent problem in the process of information exchange, which is the variety of data formats. This creates obstacles to the selection and exchange of outsourced business, so there is a need for a data format that can describe any logical relationship to unify the storage of electronic data, and to establish a unified template and matching tool for describing outsourcing.2 Virtual Enterprise Based on Electronic Contracts (E-Contracts) Fig. 1 Firm A outsourcing its business to Firm B In Fig. 1, Firm A can outsource a portion of its transportation operations to Company B to do, and Company B will perform all of the activities that Company A needs to provide. The company providing the service is the service provider (e.g., Company B) and the service seeker is the service demander (e.g., Company A). The service demander and the provider must agree to a contract template that describes, among other things, the content of the outsourced business and the conditions under which they will work together. E-contracts between service providers and service requesters are the basis for virtual enterprise collaboration.2.1 Purpose of E-ContractsDefinition of the Purpose of an E-ContractAn E-Contract should be able to accomplish the following purposes: to quickly and expeditiously match and select the most fulfilling service provider. When a company needs an outsourced service, the e-contract matching platform will look for all providers offering this service and choose the most suitable among them. Providers will advertise their services with a contract template that is not extraordinary specific, and it is up to the demander to complete these templates. The activities of the outsourced business, the service and description specifications and the standard legal form process, all of these are represented in the form of an e-contract template.2.2 Requirements of e-contractsThe discussion of the purpose of e-contracts suggests that an e-contract in general should have a few requirements: (1) the e-contract should be able to: find a match for the service comply with the legal agreement service (2) it should also contain the following Information: mandatory information: the name and description of the service the name, address and other information of the virtual enterprise member the date of contract signing the effective date of the contract the effective date of the service, e.g., a fixed time or a period of time optional information: reference to now standard conditions, e.g., the legality of the content the service demander can activate the time constraints on these services the time constraints on the service 3 e-contracts based on the XML language design 3.1 XML language XML is so far used to do data exchange is one of the more effective language. XML mainly contains DTD (DocumentTypeDefinition, that is, Document Type Definition), XSL (Extensible Styles Language) and XLL (Extensible Linking Language) 3 elements. Through the DTD to determine a unified standard format, the formation of a unified view of the user; through the XSL to generate to meet the personalized requirements of different areas of the data document; through the XLL to support the Web's relevant links. XML's good data storage format, scalable, highly structured and other characteristics, so that it can be created without relying on platforms, languages, or restrictive conventions of open data, a better solution for the Computer-supported collaborative work in the data expression and data exchange two key technical support [5].3.2 An improved e-contract model and structure parameter e-contracts must be able to search, match outsourcing services, and can easily establish information exchange between partners, these requirements in the e-contracts must be a part of the unique and clearly defined Parameters and parameter values. Natural Language Description Since the e-contract must be legally enforceable, the contract can be used as a legal document by adding a natural language description of the contract. Partially Filled Contracts (PFCs) A contract may be used by more than one instance of outsourcing, and PFCs may be used to contain parameter values that are common to all of these instances of outsourcing. An instance of a contract starting a particular service can complete the PFC by providing a stopping point for parameter values, and this has no effect on the structure of the contract, only on how the parameter values are provided. Several of the elements discussed above are not irrelevant in e-contracts, and the internal structure diagram of an e-contract (shown in Figure 2) illustrates the relationships between the different elements. 3.3 The e-Contract DTD describes the structure of the e-Contract in XML and transforms the concepts in the e-Contract into a DTD.The DTD specifies the elements that can be present in a document, the attributes that those elements can have, the hierarchy within the elements, and the order in which the elements appear throughout the document.3.3.1 Description of the General Structure of the e-Contract Model The general e-Contract model, illustrated in Figure 2, is described in XML. The structure XML language description is: <!ELEMENTContract (DataSection, NaturalLanguageDescr?, /NaturalLanguageDescription? DataFlow?, /DataFlowPFCClauses?)>/Partially populated e-contract clauses DataFlow section, NaturalLanguageDescription section etc. are optional in the Activity Definition. the PFC clauses and parameters, which are assembled into a section in the DTD. XML language description of the data section: <!ELEMENTDataSection(Header, ParameterSection?, DataExchangeSection?)><!ELEMENTHeader(ServiceName, Consumer Provider, ContractDate, /ContractDate ServiceStartDate?, /ServiceStartDate?Price?)>/Price? ...3.3.2 Parameter Definition XML Language Definition: <!ELEMENTParameterSection(Parameter+)><!ELEMENTParameter(Description?, ( SimpleRecordParamSetParamList))>...<!ATTLISTDataItemnameID#REQUIREDsuppliedby(CPB)#REQUIRED>...<! ELEMENTDataItemRefEMPTY><!ATTLISTDataItemRefDataItemIDIDREF#REQUIRED> The Parameter section is divided into three parts: the Parameter Header, the Parameter section, and the Data Entry. The parameter header contains objects that are almost always needed for every electronic contract. These objects have their own markup. This makes the XML language more operational. When working with e-contracts, it is much easier to find the appropriate markup than it is to manipulate the structure to find the parameters that define the service. The Parameters section describes the attributes of the service and the data entries will be extended during implementation.3.3 Natural Language DefinitionsThe Natural Language Description section has no extended sub-structures and contains only one block of text. <!ELEMENTNaturalLanguageDescr(#PCDATAParamRef)*>3.3.4DataFlowDefinition<!ELEMENTDataFlow(DataFlowConnector+)><! ELEMENTDataFlowConnector(Out, In)><!ELEMENTOut((ActRefServiceInput), DataItemRef)>......... ...............<!ELEMENTServiceInputEMPTY><!ELEMENTServiceOutputEMPTY& gt;3.3.5 PFC Definition Strictly defining a PFC structure is difficult because the specific functionality of the multiple services implemented by the eContract has not been defined.PFC clauses comprise one or more clauses. <!ELEMENTPFCClauses(PFCClause+)><!ELEMENTPFCClause(#PCDATAParamRefActRefDataItemRef)*>4 Conclusion There are many ways in which an enterprise may use a contract specification language, which in a dynamic within the virtual enterprise environment is only the first step. Using e-contracts, members of a virtual enterprise can easily describe the outsourcing services that each needs and provides, allowing each enterprise or organization to quickly find partners for establishing a virtual enterprise, i.e., to find providers and demanders of outsourcing services and to construct a virtual enterprise organization. However, how to organically connect outsourcing services with various heterogeneous workflow systems in the enterprise to complete the process of outsourcing automation still needs to be continued research. References:[1] Jian Chen, Weidong Feng. Construction and Governance of Virtual Enterprises [M]. Beijing: Tsinghua University Publication, 2002. p99-104 [2] Xie Shujiang. Virtual Enterprise-Theoretical Analysis, Operation Mechanism and Development Strategy [M]. Beijing: Economic Governance Publishing House, 2002, 1. P17-21 [3] Guan Xuming, Yang Jianqiang. Research on electronic medical record exchange model within group hospitals[J]. China Hospital Governance, 2004,(6):34-35[4]Jiang Wansheng, Wang Runxiao. Research on the Application of Virtual Enterprise Workflow Technology in E-Commerce[J]. Manufacturing Automation.2003,(1):30-31[5]Xu Huanliang, Ding Qiulin. Research on collaborative work based on XML for business process governance[J]. China Manufacturing Informatization, 2003,(3):70-72, 76