Systems and software that enable group participation in a problem or process. Collaboration systems supply methods for group definition, common technology, interaction and followup, and present a common situation view to all participants while enabling faster problem resolution.
One definition of collaborate is to work together in a joint effort. The term "collaborative" is applied to real-time interactions, groupware, shared information spaces, file sharing, advanced monitoring and management, supply chain integration, etc. In the context of eBusiness, we call a process "collaborative" if it allows real-time, electronically-enabled business interactions. Collaboration allows supply chain partners to make joint decisions by sharing information real time and/or interacting on-line using a solution that allows interactive information/knowledge exchange.