# Collaborative Networks: A Pillar of Digital Transformation
## 4 Collaborative Networks  
Nowadays, CNs are being applied to a great variety of domains, moving from academic research to manufacturing and other industrial applications [32; 33; 34]. These implementations are supported by a variety of collaboration forms, which range from \"supply chains\" to emerging dynamic structures in industry, science, and services. The multiple CN manifestations can be organized in a taxonomy, which has been evolving with the advances of ICT tools in the last two or three decades. Figure 2 shows a partial CN taxonomy, based on [35; 36]. The first level of the CN taxonomy distinguishes between \"collaborative networked organization (CNO)\" and \"ad-hoc collaboration\". A CNO characterizes a network, typically business-oriented, with solid organizational aspects in terms of structure, roles definition, and governance rules, while an ad hoc collaboration characterizes a spontaneous and not structured network which might emerge for instance, in a crisis. There are two main classes of CNOs: (i) the goal-oriented networks and (ii) the long-term strategic networks. Goal-oriented networks are networks characterized by intense interaction among its participants aiming at reaching a common goal. They include the _(a)_ continuous production-driven networks, which are networks that remain stable for a long period of time with well-defined roles for their participants. Supply chains or collaborative smart grids are examples of such networks; and the _(b)_ grasping opportunity-driven networks, i.e., networks that are dynamically created to pursue some business opportunity within a limited time window. Virtual organizations (VO)/virtual enterprises (VE) and virtual teams (VT) are examples of such networks, which are composed of groups of independent organizations or individuals sharing skills and resources in response to business opportunities [35]. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline Dimension & Some Relevant Topics/Key Challenges & Examples of Core Enabling Technologies \\ \hline \multirow{7}{*}{**Acceleration of manufacturing**} & \multirow{7}{*}{Integration of new players} & \multirow{7}{*}{Collaborative machines, robotics} \\  & & & \\  & & & Advanced human–machine interfaces & and drones \\  & & & Ergonomics & Cloud, big data and analytics \\  & & & Hybrid collaborative systems & CPS, IoT, Mobile computing \\  & & & Increased transparency along & Artificial intelligence, \\  & & shop floor & machine learning & machine learning \\  & & Interoperability among machines & Additive manufacturing \\  & & & Decentralization of decision-making & Sensing technologies \\  & & & Flexibility and reconfigurability & \\  & & & Distributed intelligence & Neuro-technologies, Nanotechnologies \\  & & & Cognitive systems & Cyberseecurity \\ \hline \multirow{7}{*}{**Digitalization of products and services**} & \multirow{7}{*}{Self-identification} & \multirow{7}{*}{Cloud computing and IoT} \\  & & & Product history, tracing and tracking & Augmented reality and simulation \\  & & & Data availability & Real-time product \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & monitoring systems \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & \"Service-enhanced products\", & Service design, Service integration \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & Product-service ecosystems & and evolution \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & Monitoring, self-diagnosis, & Smart products \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & assistance, self-configuration & Digital twins \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & Customer experience and intimacy & Business model design \& \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & Dynamic value chains & innovation tools \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & Hybrid value systems & Co-design/co-creation platforms \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & Sustainability, social responsibility & Sharing platforms \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & New challenges in & Cloud computing, mobile computing \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & intellectual property & Cybersecurity \\ \cline{1-1}  & & & Global enterprise & Link to smart infrastructures \\ \hline \end{tabular}
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