Abstract: Executing a business process includes initiating an instance of a business process comprising activities, where the instance has an instance variable. A first activity of the business process is executed, and a value corresponding to the instance variable is received. The instance variable and the value is recorded in an object, and the object is stored in a data repository. A second activity of the business process is executed, and the object is retrieved from the data repository for use with the second activity.

Abstract: A system for designing a business process includes an introspection module that transforms implementation-specific components into generic components. The implementation-specific components are associated with a number of implementations. A component manager defines the generic components. A process designer selects at least one of the generic components from the component manager, and generates a business process that uses the at least one of the generic components.

Abstract: Automating a business process includes defining an activity of a business process. The activity is associated with an abstract role, and the abstract role represents a user responsible for performing the activity. An organizational role associated with a set of values is defined. The organizational role can have a value from the set of values, where each value ill corresponds to a user set. The organizational role is matched to the abstract role. An instance of the activity is received, and the value for the organizational role is determined. The instance is routed to the user set corresponding to the determined value.

Abstract: A system for designing a business process includes an introspection module that transforms implementation-specific components into generic components. The implementation-specific components are associated with a number of implementations. A component manager defines the generic components. A process designer selects at least one of the generic components from the component manager, and generates a business process that uses the at least one of the generic components.

Abstract: Executing a business process includes initiating an instance of a business process comprising activities, where the instance has an instance variable. A first activity of the business process is executed, and a value corresponding to the instance variable is received. The instance variable and the value is recorded in an object, and the object is stored in a data repository. A second activity of the business process is executed, and the object is retrieved from the data repository for use with the second activity.

Abstract: Publishing a business process includes accessing a business process that includes activities, where each activity is associated with an abstract role. Organizational roles are accessed. Each abstract role is matched with an organizational role. The business process is published to a data repository by creating a plurality of object classes representing the business process having the matched organizational roles.

Abstract: Executing business processes includes accessing a first business process comprising a first activity and accessing a second business process comprising a second activity, where the second activity is associated with the first activity. A first instance is received at the first activity of the first business process. A second instance is created at the second activity in response to receiving the first instance at the first activity of the first business process into the second business process.