Integrated Semantics for Information and Communication Systems

Traditionally Data Semantics dealt with the static and dynamic integrity rules of database systems The database system was supposed to integrate di erent viewpoints on the Uni verse of Discourse of the organization Nowadays databases are often decentralized and its integrating function has been taken over by the network To account for this evolution we use the term Information and Communication System instead of Information System and we argue that Data Semantics should move its focus to the semantics of communication We present a formal language based on Dynamic Logic in which the semantics of objects actions but also speech acts can be described In addition we describe a lexicon in which the conceptual meaning of the terms of communication can be de ned Together these models provide an integrated semantics for Information and Communication systems These can be interorganizational as in EDI applications or intraorganizational as in Work ow Management