Toward a Conceptual Framework for Digital Contract Composition and Fulfillment
Susanne Guth, Gustaf Neumann, Mark Strembeck · 2003
This paper deals with current (conceptual) issues in the field of contract management. We describe a basic contract life cycle with four phases: offer placement, offer confirmation (conclusion of the contract), fulfillment of duties (consumption of rights), and contract archiving. In our investigation of contract content, we identify core contract objects, usage-specific extension objects and their relationships. On the basis of various usage scenarios for digital contracts, we proceed to introduce an approach for scenario-specific contract composition (Phases 1 and 2 of the contract life cycle). Addressing phase 3 of the contract life cycle (fulfillment of digital contracts), we distinguish digital contracts from electronic tickets, and finally envisage the consumption of usage rights by means of electronic tickets. 1