Until recently, information systems have been designed around different business functions, such as accounts payable and inventory control. Object-oriented modeling, in contrast, structures systems around the data--the objects--that make up the various business functions. Because information about a particular function is limited to one place--to the object--the system is shielded from the effects of change. Object-oriented modeling also promotes better understanding of requirements, clear designs, and more easily maintainable systems.This book focuses on recent developments in representational and processing aspects of complex data-intensive applications. The chapters cover "hot" topics such as application behavior and consistency, reverse engineering, interoperability and collaboration between objects, and work-flow modeling. Each chapter contains a review of its subject, followed by object-oriented modeling techniques and methodologies that can be applied to real-life applications.Contributors : F. Casati, S. Ceri, R. Cicchetti, L. M. L. Delcambre, E. F. Ecklund, D. W. Embley, G. Engels, J. M. Gagnon, R. Godin, M. Gogolla, L. Groenewegen, G. S. Jensen, G. Kappel, B. J. Krmer, S. W. Liddle, R. Missaoui, M. Norrie, M. P. Papazoglou, C. Parent, B. Perniei, P. Poncelet, G. Pozzi, M. Schreft, R. T. Snodgrass, S. Spaccapietra, M. Stumptner, M. Teisseire, W. J. van den Heuevel, S. N. Woodfield.