Abstract: A system (10) for managing a capacity extreme at a first entity (12) in a supply chain includes a planning application (36) that receives status data for at least the first entity (12) reflecting the capacity extreme at the first entity (12) and generates a plan (34) according to the status data. A manager application (44) receives the plan (34) and, according to the plan (34), automatically initiates at least one service in an attempt to resolve at least a portion of the capacity extreme through interaction with one or more other entities (12). The manager application (44) selects the service from among a plurality of available services based on a monetary value to the first entity (12) of a resolution expected to be available using the selected service relative to other services.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a risk assessment regarding a software implementation project includes accessing a previously specified importance value and maximum score for each of a multiple of risk factors. The importance value for each risk factor reflects experience of an implementing entity regarding the extent to which the factor may negatively impact a software implementation project if the factor is not adequately addressed, the importance value and maximum score for each factor being multiplied to define a potential weighted score for the factor. An actual score for a particular software implementation project is received for each factor based on an analysis specific to the particular project. An actual weighted score for the particular project is generated for each factor by multiplying the importance value and actual score for the factor, and a relationship between the potential weighted score and actual weighted score for each factor.

Abstract: A system (10) for managing a value chain includes a planning application (36) that receives planning data from a number of entities included in a value chain and automatically generates a plan according to the planning data. At least two of the entities do not directly communicate planning data to one another. The system (10) also includes a manager application (44) that receives the plan and automatically identifies one or more exceptions in the plan, communicates planning data relating to the exceptions to one or more of the entities, receives instructions from one or more of the entities regarding how the exceptions are to resolved, and automatically modifies the planning data in response to the instructions.

Abstract: A system providing seller pre-qualification during the matching phase of an electronic commerce transaction includes a directory structure 44 comprising multiple hierarchically organized product classes, each product class categorizing multiple products and defining one or more attributes of the products categorized in the product class. The system also includes one or more pointers for each product class, each pointer identifying a seller database 32 in which product data enabling a product transaction is stored for products categorized in the product class. Each seller database 32 is associated with a seller 30 having values for one or more seller attributes.

Abstract: A system for publishing and subscribing in event systems is disclosed. The system comprises a logical event manager. A physical event manager communicates with the logical event manager and a first and a second event producer-consumer. The physical event manager includes a first mapper that translates between the logical event manager and the first event producer-consumer and a second mapper that translates between the logical event manager and the second event producer-consumer. A method for publishing and subscribing in event systems is disclosed. A logical event manager receives a logical event from an event producer. The logical event is communicated from the logical event manager to a physical event manager. The physical event manager uses a first mapper to translate the logical event to a first signal, and a second mapper to translate the logical event to a second signal. The first and second signals are published to first and second event consumers.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a computer-implemented system for protecting from unauthorized reproduction data associated with one or more products that is communicated over a communications network includes one or more servers. The servers collectively receive data associated with one or more products matching search criteria specified in a search query received from a buyer computer, the data having been collected in response to communicating the search query to one or more databases in which data associated with one or more products is stored. The servers collectively communicate to the buyer computer the data for the matching products and communicate a software component to the buyer computer, the software component operable to provide a user associated with the buyer computer access to the data for the matching products, the software component further operable to disable one or more tools supported at the buyer computer for reproducing the data.

Abstract: Generating an optimized supplier allocation plan includes identifying parts and suppliers associated with an allocation problem, where each supplier can supply at least one part. One or more objective functions are selected. Each objective function has part variables, and each part variable represents a quantity of a part to be procured from a supplier. At least one constraint constraining at least one part variable is received. The one or more objective functions are optimized with respect to the at least one constraint to yield a value for each part variable. A quantity of each part to be procured from at least one supplier is determined according to the values to generate the optimized supplier allocation plan.

Abstract: Calculating price elasticity includes accessing a number of demand models and demand data describing a number of items. The demand models are evaluated in accordance with the demand data. A demand model of the evaluated demand models is selected in response to the evaluation. A price elasticity is calculated according to the selected demand model.

Abstract: A method for deploying parts is disclosed. Locations that include supply locations and demand locations are defined. A supply location supplies parts to a demand location. A demand is computed for each part at each location. An availability lead-time is estimated for each part at each location. A lead-time demand is computed for each part at each location using the availability lead-times for the part. A stock level is computed for each part at each location. A completely filled demand is determined from the lead-time demands and the stock levels, and a partially filled demand is determined from the lead-time demands and the stock levels. A coverage function for the parts at the locations is generated from the completely filled demand and the partially filled demand.

Abstract: An electronic commerce system (10) providing market feedback to sellers includes a server (40) operating on one or more computers. The server (40) records query information associated with a search query for a buyer (20) of one or more databases containing product data. The server (40) also records presentation information associated with presentation of multiple search results to the buyer (20), each search result including data for a product matching one or more search criteria specified in the search query, the search results including one or more search results reflecting product data for a particular seller (30). The server (40) also records selection information associated with selection by the buyer (20) of a particular search result from among the multiple search results.

Abstract: A method for selecting members in a hierarchy includes determining a sequence of one or more actions associated with a member selection tree. The actions collectively selecting one or more members from a hierarchy of members. The hierarchy of members is associated with a particular dimension of an organization of data. The method further includes recording the sequence of actions in a member selection script. In addition, the method includes executing the member selection script to select one or more members after the hierarchy of members has been modified.

Abstract: A method for generating a sales volume forecast includes receiving user input specifying a hypothetical asking price and a future date and accessing, for each of multiple past time periods, historical data reflecting a sales volume for an item over the past time period and a corresponding price difference between an asking price and a coinciding market price for the item, the price difference also being associated with the past time period.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system is provided for managing a centrally managed master repository for core enterprise reference data associated with an enterprise. A centralized master repository contains the reference data, the reference data being associated with multiple schemas, each schema including one or more data models for reference data, each data model including one or more fields. A data management services framework coupled to the repository provides services for managing the reference data in the repository. The services framework supports a master schema including a union of multiple models and associated fields in the multiple schemas. The services framework also supports a thesaurus including, for each field in the master schema, a set of synonyms each representing a mapping between the field in the master schema and a corresponding field in a particular one of the multiple schemas.

Abstract: A method for migrating product data within an electronic commerce system (10) includes monitoring requests for products by users (20) of a global content directory (42). The global content directory (42) includes a directory structure (44) including a number of product classes organized in a hierarchy. Each product class categorizes a plurality of products and defines one or more attributes of the products categorized in the product class. The directory (44) also includes one or more pointers associated with each product class. Each pointer identifies a seller database (32) in which product data enabling a product transaction is stored for products associated with the product class. The method further includes identifying the location of a user (20) and determining that product data associated with a product requested by the user (20) should be migrated from a seller database (32) to a storage location closer to the user than the seller database (32).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for repair planning for a location in a repair network includes modeling: (1) an uninspected buffer for parts received but not yet inspected at the location; (2) a first buffer for parts inspected at the location and repairable at the location; (3) a second buffer for parts inspected at the location and not repairable at the location; (4) a third buffer for parts inspected at the location and not repairable at any location in the repair network; and (5) a fourth buffer for parts inspected at the location and serviceable without repair. The parts in the uninspected buffer are assigned to the first, second, third, and fourth buffers at corresponding rates according to an inspection operation.

Abstract: A communication system provides an exchange service between multiple companies. Messages between companies are routed through the exchange. These messages may represent any data or functionality desired by the companies. These messages may be requests, quotes, replies, and similar messages. Certain types of messages are designated as events to the exchange system. A portion of the exchange handles these events with rules, producing actions and additional events in response to occurrences consistent with the rules.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for optimization using multi-dimensional data includes receiving a problem instance to be solved using an optimization engine. The problem instance is specified in a multi-dimensional format associated with a multi-dimensional data model that includes multiple data dimensions each including a hierarchy of members. The problem instance includes an objective function, an optimization operator, and one or more constraints. The optimization engine is unable to solve the problem instance including the objective function, the optimization operator, and the one or more constraints in the multi-dimensional format.

Abstract: An electronic commerce system (10) includes a content enhancement module (47) that analyzes the product data stored in a seller database (32) using one or more rules and that identifies one or more potential errors in the product data according to the rules. The rules include one or more generic rules that apply to substantially all seller databases (32) including product data. These generic rules include one or more of the following rules: a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database (32) have identical product identifiers but have otherwise different product data, a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database (32) have different product identifiers but have otherwise identical product data, and rules indicating that a potential error exists if the values associated with particular generic product attributes have a non-numerical format.

Abstract: A method of optimizing multi-enterprise supply chain agreements using an electronic option contract includes determining at a buyer computer a range of forecasted demand for a product and communicating from the buyer computer to a seller computer an offer to enter into an option contract for the supply of a product, the option contract including an option corresponding to the range of forecasted demand. The method further includes executing the option contract, updating at the buyer computer the forecasted demand, and exercising the option in the option contract within the range of forecasted demand based on the updated forecasted demand.

Abstract: A system for performing a business process includes a first version of a business application executed by a first client to perform a particular business process and a second version of the business application executed by a second client to perform the business process, wherein the first client is coupled to the second client using a communication link. The first version of the business application is identified using a first version identifier and the second version of the business application is identified using a second version identifier. One of the first version of the business application and the second version of the business application is selected to initiate the business process based upon the first version identifier and the second version identifier.