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Extending the Quality Concept in Geo-Information Processing
As a consequence, GI enterprizes have shown increased preference for integrated enterprize models centered on the virtual enterprize (VE) concept to exploit opportunities presented by technological advances, achieve strategic objectives and be effective in competitive global markets. A virtual enterprize comprises of a temporary alliance of globally distributed autonomous enterprizes par-ticipating in a common product cycle or service chain and sharing resources, skills and costs with the support of information and communication technologies to better attend market opportunities and fulfill corporate strategy [9]. The virtual enterprize is thus composed of functions provided by participating enterprizes and is structured and managed in such a way that it presents itself to third parties as a homogenous whole.
2.2 The Spatial Data Infrastructure
The spatial data infrastructure (SDI) concept was a pioneering vision of a distributed system dedi-cated to managing and sharing spatial data among several stake holders at different levels of govern-ment through appropriate application of information and communication technologies. This is well embodied in the stated objectives of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) of the U.S.A. The NSDI is mandated to improve spatial data availability, minimize duplication efforts in spatial data acquisition and management, provide public access to distributed spatial data resources, and reduce costs related to geographic information handling (www.fgdc.gov/nsdi/nsdi.html).
The concept of an infrastructure to facilitate spatial data sharing continues to attract growing attention world wide [24]. As it spreads and evolves, the concept has come to mean different things in different contexts and communities depending on motivation, funding and policies for its creation and management [33]. That notwithstanding, the SDI encompasses the policies, technolo-gies, standards, fundamental datasets and human resources necessary for the effective collection, management, access, delivery and utilization of geospatial data at affordable costs [26, 12].
2.3 The Geographical Service Infrastructure
The growing market for specialized and customized services, especially in the realm of non-GIS expert domains that include mobile and wireless location-based services, brings to question the rel-evance and appropriateness of traditional GIS models. As a result there is growing consensus that new models where GIS functionalities are delivered as autonomous interoperable components are needed [4, 28]. The component based GIS model strongly derives from the web services concept, in which case GIS functionality is delivered as autonomous interoperable services that are accessible through the World Wide Web (WWW) and that can be remotely discovered and combined into customized GIS applications or choreographed to perform complex tasks. This novel GIS model promises applications that are platform independent, that can transparently share spatial resources, and that offer increased potential for favorable cost/performance ratios. Furthermore, traditional GIS systems have for long been developed and managed separately from mainstream enterprize information systems, which inhibits enterprize wide application of GIS technology. The new mod-els will greatly ease the integration of GIS functionality with mainstream enterprize information systems and promote ubiquitous geoprocessing.
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