Introduction to Special Session (R) on Role-Based Collaboration

Role-based collaboration (RBC) is an emerging technology. Role-based approaches may significantly change and improve the infrastructure of management, organization, collaboration, and system development. This is the fourth year to organize a special session for RBC. The past special sessions were for IEEE International Conferences on Systems, Man and Cybernetics (SMC) (2003: Washington D.C., USA; 2004: The Netherlands; and 2005: Hawaii, USA). The successfulness encourages the continuing efforts. Role concepts have been applied widely in behavioral science, management, sociology, and psychology for many years. Roles are very useful in modeling the authority, responsibility, functions and interactions associated with manager positions within organizations.