Role management in a privacy-enhanced collaborative environment

Purpose - Facing the dilemma between collaboration and privacy is a continual challenge for users. In this setting, the purpose of this paper is to discuss issues of a highly flexible role management integrated in a privacy-enhanced collaborative environment (PECE). Design/methodology/approach - The general framework was provided by former findings of several research projects, i.e. collaborative platform BluES and projects of privacy and identity management PRIME and PrimeLife. The role management concept bases on a literature survey and has been proofed by integration into the privacy-enhanced environment BluES'n. Findings - A three-dimensional role management concept was developed describing users' rights, tasks, and positions. A discussion on how to fulfill privacy requirements yielded that a semi-automated decision making regarding the use of roles with different identities is reasonable to support users' control of their privacy when interacting with others. Research limitations/implications - The concept of flexible role management complies with the requirements of PECEs. However, a fully automated approach of rule-based information disclosure is not possible as such decisions depend on personal and situational aspects. Practical implications - Using the example of a flexible role management concept, research described in this paper demonstrates that privacy and interaction concerns can be balanced and should be considered in application design processes. Social implications - Concepts of PECEs allow respecting privacy-related attitudes and could improve the quality of service consumption. Originality/value - The paper demonstrates contrasts between collaboration and privacy attitudes and presents solutions for the integration of role management to overcome this initially supposed contradiction.