3 Ph.D.  researchers for the Value-IT project

The Value-IT project is performed jointly by the Free University of Amsterdam 
(http://www.thenetworkinstitute.nl/), the University of Tilburg 
(http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/faculties/feb/organisation/dept/ism/) and 
the University of Twente (http://is.cs.utwente.nl) and funded by the Jacquard 
program (http://www.jacquard.nl/) of the Dutch funding organization NWO.  
In this project we develop value-based techniques for dynamic configuration of 
e-business networks. 

We will work with the music industry and the energy business to develop two 
prototypes for dynamic alignment of value models and coordination models in 
these businesses. Our goal in both domains is to design and validate advanced 
techniques for the adaptive and hierarchical bundling of commercial IT services 
that match consumer needs. In this project, an IT service is a commercial 
service that can be ordered and provisioned on-line, by which the provider 
earns money. We envisage a scenario where a consumer need is analyzed on-line, 
leading to the dynamic creation of a value constellation of independent 
businesses which jointly offer a service bundle that satisfies the consumer 
need. The bundle is composed from web services offered by the businesses in 
the value constellation. Subsequent occurrences of the same need will be 
provided by the same value constellation, unless quality of service drops 
below the level required by the consumer. Quality of service will therefore 
be continuously monitored and the constellation can be dynamically reconfigured, 
if required. See http://value-it.e3value.com/ for more information. 

Project 1 (VU)
* For the Value-IT project, there is one Ph.D position at the Business, Web, 
and Media Group of the Free University. The Ph.D. candidate will research 
how a value model can be composed, based on a stated consumer need, by using 
problem solving methods. Also, various mechanisms to select a suitable value 
model from a set of alternatives will be investigated. More information can be 
obtained from Dr. Jaap Gordijn, (http://www.e3value.com/, email gordijn@cs.vu.nl ), 
phone +31 20 5987769. Please send your application for this PhD position to 
few-vacatures@few.vu.nl. Indicate [Value-IT 1.2008.00070] in your subject heading.

Project 2 (Twente)
* In the Information Systems Group of the University of Twente we have an opening 
for one Ph.D. student. The Ph.D. student will investigate how to choose between 
candidate coordination processes that are aligned with value models, how a 
selected coordination process can be automatically configured to match a value 
model and quality of service requirements, and how this can be deployed on a 
service-oriented business platform. More information can be obtained from 
Prof. Dr. Roel Wieringa (http://www.cs.utwente.nl/~roelw, 
email: roelw@cs.utwente.nl), phone +31 53 4894189.  Please send you application 
for this PhD position to is_jobs@ewi.utwente.nl. Indicate [Value-IT] in your 
subject heading.

Project 3 (Tilburg)
* The Ph.D student at Tilburg University will investigate how to coordinate the 
reconfiguration of a provisioned IT service bundle. A reconfiguration of services 
is typically accompanied by a reconfiguration of organizational stakeholders.  
This project is performed in cooperation with Cordys and promotes active 
involvement of the student in internal research projects of the Cordys company 
in Putten (NL).
More information can be obtained from Dr. Hans Weigand, 
(http://www.uvt.nl/webwijs/show/?uid=h.weigand, email H.Weigand@uvt.nl ), 
phone +31 13 4662806. Please send your application for this PhD position to 
A.M.Kloosterhuis@uvt.nl. Indicate [Value-IT] in your subject heading.

For all three projects:
We ask: A MSc degree in business informatics, software engineering, computer 
science, artificial intelligence or equivalent degree. Good communication skills, 
in writing as well as oral. Your main task will be to do research, but you will 
be given the opportunity to acquire some teaching experience.

We offer: An interesting temporary research position in a dynamic and international 
environment. You will be appointed for a period of four years. The salary starts 
at €2000 gross per month and grows to €2558 gross per month in the fourth year. 
You will be enrolled in the research school SIKS (www.siks.nl).