Minitrack Introduction

In its fifth year the minitrack on Value Webs again attracted several diverse and interesting submissions. Value Webs consist of networks of partners who collaborate within different stages of interlinked value chains enabled by ICT. They form a basis for establishing a new interdisciplinary research field. Diffusion of Internet, web services as well as deployment of mobile and pervasive technologies result in both industry wide and organizational transformations with far reaching micro- and macro economic effects. These transformations are triggered by pervasive ICT infrastructures, and new products and services that enable sustained product- and process-innovations. Examples of such innovations include Zero Latency Business, Mass Customisation, Enterprise Application Integration, Collaborative Supply Chain Management, Mobile Commerce, and Customer Integration in product development and distribution. Each one of them echoes deep changes that the Internet and Mobile Technologies are creating in that Internet and Mobile Technologies affect now all facets of production, distribution and usage of information goods and significantly transform development-, production- and distribution of physical goods.