Retrofitting workflows for B2B component assembly

Sudden and significant demand for B2B process automation has seen the entry of workflow management systems (WFMS) into the component arena. Workflows offer highly expressive and graphical process control constructs for the coordinative component assembly, however, current provisions seem more suitable for internal process pipelines in single organizations, built without future reuse in mind. In this paper, we identify particular areas of workflow legacy which obstruct flexible reuse and composition under B2B assembly. New abstractions are identified for the tighter multi-lateral coupling of workflows such that: synchronization is possible across encapsulated workflows boundaries and external interactions occur through blackbox interfaces. Against the stifled efforts of loosely-coupled WFMS interoperability, a top-down architectural strategy is charted, where regulation can occur "above" workflow components - at a higher-tier workflow component framework accepting heterogeneous WFMSs as "plug-ins".