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Previous research suggests that developing dynamic models of business processes prior to their radical change could increase the success of BPR projects. Identifies barriers encountered in existing business processes and presents an overview of business process modelling methods that can be used to identify ways of eliminating these barriers. A case study is used to demonstrate how simulation modelling can be used to effectively re‐engineer manufacturing processes. The developed model is then manipulated, with results being generated to discover the possibilities of increasing the through‐put of the system. The usability of simulation modelling for evaluating alternative business process strategies is then investigated. Guidelines for achieving more widespread use of business process simulation are then proposed.

Business renovation, the effective utilisation of information technology and the role of business process modelling and simulation, are all vital in supply chain integration projects. This paper aims to show through a combination of these methods how the performance of the supply chain can be improved with the renovation and integration of processes at various tiers in the chain and by the sharing of information between companies.

Simulation‐based methodology for measuring the benefits of the creation and renovation of business process models combines the methodology of developing process models and its simulation with the simulation of supply and demand. A procurement process in the oil/retail petrol industry is examined in a case study.

Using the proposed methodology, different business process models can be investigated and simulated. The benefits for each company involved in the presented case are substantial and can be estimated through a simulation. Substantial benefits in costs, quality and lead times were identified, however, their distribution is not symmetric. Inter‐organisational IS and applied technology were enablers for supply chain integration. However, organisational changes and new business models were prerequisites for obtaining those benefits.

The process approach to supply chain integration presents a mechanism that can be applied to any industry. It represents a systematic methodological business renovation approach involving cost cuts, quality improvements and lead‐time improvements. The costs of supply chain integration projects were not studied. The benefits should be measured against the cost of testing the economic feasibility of such projects.

The effective utilisation of business process modelling and a simulation of the necessary business renovation are shown. The novel combination of business process and demand/supply simulation enables an estimation of changes in lead‐times, process execution costs, quality of the process and inventory costs. Although the methodology is presented through a case study of the oil/retail petrol industry, it can also be used to estimate the benefits and monitor supply chain integration projects in other industries.

Contemporary literature reveals that, to date, the poultry livestock sector has not received sufficient research attention. This particular industry suffers from unstructured supply chain practices, lack of awareness of the implications of the sustainability concept and failure to recycle poultry wastes. The current research thus attempts to develop an integrated supply chain model in the context of poultry industry in Bangladesh. The study considers both sustainability and supply chain issues in order to incorporate them in the poultry supply chain. By placing the forward and reverse supply chains in a single framework, existing problems can be resolved to gain economic, social and environmental benefits, which will be more sustainable than the present practices.

The theoretical underpinning of this research is ‘sustainability’ and the ‘supply chain processes’ in order to examine possible improvements in the poultry production process along with waste management. The research adopts the positivist paradigm and ‘design science’ methods with the support of system dynamics (SD) and the case study methods. Initially, a mental model is developed followed by the causal loop diagram based on in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation techniques. The causal model helps to understand the linkages between the associated variables for each issue. Finally, the causal loop diagram is transformed into a stock and flow (quantitative) model, which is a prerequisite for SD-based simulation modelling. A decision support system (DSS) is then developed to analyse the complex decision-making process along the supply chains.

The findings reveal that integration of the supply chain can bring economic, social and environmental sustainability along with a structured production process. It is also observed that the poultry industry can apply the model outcomes in the real-life practices with minor adjustments. This present research has both theoretical and practical implications. The proposed model’s unique characteristics in mitigating the existing problems are supported by the sustainability and supply chain theories. As for practical implications, the poultry industry in Bangladesh can follow the proposed supply chain structure (as par the research model) and test various policies via simulation prior to its application. Positive outcomes of the simulation study may provide enough confidence to implement the desired changes within the industry and their supply chain networks.

Business process (BP) and information systems (IS) communities support the idea that BP and IS design should be integrated. Although there are a large number of modelling techniques to aid BP and IS design, there is little indication of which techniques can be suitable to model their integration. This research suggests a simulation model that can be used to depict BP/IS integration.

The simulation framework proposed in this paper is based on a simulation framework used previously. For both frameworks, a single case study approach is employed for theory building and testing. The results provided by the application of the ASSESS‐IT framework (theory testing) are used to propose the new ISBPS framework (theory building), which is tested again in the case study.

The models derived from the ISBPS framework provide quantifiable metrics of the integration of BP and IS. These data can help analysts to foresee the benefits that the insertion of a given IS design may bring to the organisational processes.

The development of the ISBPS models proved to be complex. Further research should focus on testing the ISBPS framework with more complex IS and to provide mechanisms to facilitate their design.

IS practitioners may consider simulation to evaluate IS design strategies.

The ISBPS simulation model provides quantifiable metrics of the integration of a given IS design within a given BP scenario. Practitioners can use these models to test alternative BP/IS scenarios before implementation.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a flexible framework through which business processes can be modelled, simulated and reengineered in a cost‐effective way.

This paper is mainly based on a review of the literature and the methodology is discussed in the context of a typical call centre business.

Reengineering business processes involve changes in people, processes and technology over time. In this paper, a flexible business process modelling, simulation and reengineering (BPMSR) approach is presented. Modelling starts with precisely defining model objectives and boundaries, and carrying extensive data analysis. Simulation modelling allows testing and analysis of different scenarios to understand their impact on a broader “system” and evaluate feedback before moving forward with reengineering implementation plans. The need for a flexible and adaptive methodology is stressed to augment efficiency and effectiveness of reengineering cycle.

Flexibility and adaptability in the reengineering cycle are effective to identify early modelling incompatibility and simulation defects. It adds intelligence to BPMSR and accommodates for any technical or process changes that may subsequently arise. This approach is reliable for future process improvement or reengineering endeavours due to its flexible configuration, which can be adapted to both radical or incremental change.

VIBu – Virtual Teams in International Business – is the name of a training concept, which is aimed at familiarizing participants with collaborating in a virtual environment. Based on the online business simulation RealGame™, participants are assigned to multicultural virtual teams that represent different companies. These companies are either competing with or depending on each other in typical business processes of an internationally operating manufacturing company. Interaction and negotiation are required throughout the whole simulation. All communication takes place via information and communication technology, mainly Skype and Skype chat. The main challenge in the environment is that participants are located in different countries and time zones all over the world. The book chapter first outlines some of the challenges of global teamwork that organizations face. We argue that students need to learn how to navigate in global teams before they leave university as they are bound to become involved in organizational global teamwork sooner rather than later. We draw on frameworks for experiential learning (e.g., Kolb's learning model, Kolb, 1984) and the constructivist learning paradigm (Lainema, 2009) to outline the learning experiences that students need to gather in order to become effective global team members. In addition, we highlight the potential for learner engagement that this approach offers. The chapter concludes by highlighting the key learning and teaching outcomes from incorporating this cutting-edge simulation technology. Furthermore, we direct the reader's attention to ways in which the simulation can be used for research purposes, international inter-university collaborations, and multidisciplinary research on teaching practices and engaged learning.

This paper presents a case study of the use of business‐process simulation within the context of a business‐process‐reengineering approach to change. The process‐based change methodology provides context to the simulation technique in that it connects the aims of a business‐process simulation (BPS) study to the strategic aims of the organisation and incorporates a consideration of human factors in order to achieve successful implementation of redesigned processes. Conversely, the ability of BPS to incorporate system variability, scenario analysis and a visual display to communicate process performance makes it a useful technique to provide a realistic assessment of the need for, and results of, change.

This paper investigates the potential of dynamic process modelling as an approach for addressing the problem of information systems (ISs) evaluation in the context of organisational change.

A real‐life case study is discussed, showing how dynamic simulation models that incorporate the effects of a proposed IS on existing business processes can help analysts and decision makers arrive at more informed choices for system design and evaluation.

Based on the case findings, we postulate that the design and implementation of organisational systems could be augmented by the development of dynamic process models depicting business operations before and after the introduction of an IS, and the subsequent experimentation with such models to achieve maximum fit between organisational needs and system capabilities.

The study findings imply that dynamic process modelling may be of help in the endeavour of developing ISs that are aligned with the overall business strategy and objectives.

Shows how dynamic simulation models that incorporate the effects of a proposed IS on existing business processes can help analysts and decision makers arrive at more informed choices for system design and evaluation.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a method for analysing and improving the operational performance of business processes (BPs).

The method employs two standards, Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN 2.0) and Business Processes Simulation (BPSim 1.0), to measure key performance indicators (KPIs) of BPs and test for potential improvements. The BP is first modelled in BPMN 2.0. Operational performance can then be measured using BPSim 1.0. The process simulation also enables execution of reliable “what-if” analysis, allowing improvements of the actual processes under study. To confirm the validity of the method the authors provide an application to the healthcare domain, in which the authors conduct several simulation experiments. The case study examines a standardised patient arrival and treatment process in an orthopaedic-emergency room of a public hospital.

The method permits detection of process criticalities, as well as identifying the best corrective actions by means of the “what-if” analysis. The paper discusses both management and research implications of the method.

The study responds to current calls for holistic and sustainable approaches to business process management (BPM). It provides step-by-step process modelling and simulation that serve as a “virtual laboratory” to test potential improvements and verify their impact on operational performance, without the risk of error that would be involved in ex-novo simulation programming.

The purpose of this paper is to accurately model the existing manufacturing processes of a family‐owned small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME). The study was undertaken to provide the SME with information, so that potential improvements within the production facilities could be identified thereby leading to insights into potential savings, and waste elimination. Ultimately the research attempts to demonstrate that small businesses can benefit from adopting simulation as a decision‐making tool as part of their change management initiatives.

The research methodology is a case‐based simulation study of the production facilities of a SME. A base model and successive experimental models were developed to test various production scenarios.

The experiments demonstrated how simulation could contribute and assist in the implementation of TQM and change management philosophies within a SME environment. The initial models identified problems in the real system and the latter models showed how further improvements can be achieved, defects reduced and lead to the enhancement of the productivity. Therefore, in this way simulation assisted in the implementation of some of the fundamental principles of TQM philosophy.

The study is limited in that it is based on one case study and therefore, a further study that would include several case studies with cross section analysis is recommended. Furthermore, research that uses cases from both the manufacturing and the service sector is recommended in order to fully document the unique and valuable role of simulation in the execution of TQM and BPR management philosophies in the SME context.