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1 – 10 of 960
Article
Publication date: 22 November 2018

Samia Mazhar, Paul Pao-Yen Wu and Michael Rosemann

A configurable reference model can be used to assist in the development and management of business processes in complex, multi-stakeholder environments. The purpose of this paper…

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Abstract

Purpose

A configurable reference model can be used to assist in the development and management of business processes in complex, multi-stakeholder environments. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a process design in such environments via configurable process reference modelling, using airports as an example.

Design/methodology/approach

Existing reference modelling methods around process modelling, merging and configuration are extended to include contextual and spatial factors using the design science methodology. The approach is empirically based on a set of business process management notation (BPMN) models for international passenger departures, consolidated from five Australian airport case studies via document analysis, interviews and observation.

Findings

The use of contextual factors and operational scenarios, structured using the proposed approach, facilitated efficient cross-organisational comparison for configuring processes to suit the needs of a target organisation. The resulting configurable model integrates the perspectives of organisational stakeholder groups with that of the customer in a transparent and unambiguous graphical representation. It is a reusable tool with low data collection needs for each use.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should include: version management; how to keep the model current; configurability via modelling objects other than gateways; and cross-discipline application (e.g. as a foundation for quantitative decision-making models).

Originality/value

This is the first reported application of configurable reference modelling to airport passenger facilitation. Methodological contributions include the addition of space-sensitive process elements and notation to BPMN; guidelines for systematically deriving contextual factors associated with process variants across similar organisations; and overall normative guidelines for inductively developing a configurable process reference model.

Article
Publication date: 8 August 2016

Andreas Jede and Frank Teuteberg

There are cloud computing (CC) services available for various applications within the supply chain management (SCM). These services offer, for example, consistent global…

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Abstract

Purpose

There are cloud computing (CC) services available for various applications within the supply chain management (SCM). These services offer, for example, consistent global networking platforms and enable quick decision making, which may strengthen competitive advantages. The specification of the single-related elements and the coordination mechanisms between actors and information flows is complex. In this paper, the authors argue that reference models can accelerate understanding these processes. The purpose of this paper is to gain an understanding of the current state of the underlying research field and to present a reference model that supports theory and practice in adopting CC services at SCM.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides a cross-discipline systematic literature review from the research perspectives of information systems and SCM. Based on 102 papers, the authors designed a reference model showing the interrelations between various elements of CC and SCM.

Findings

The authors discover the most important chances and risks for CC implementations in supply chain (SC) processes and pay special attention to SC sustainability aspects of CC. Until now, SCM research in the realm of CC usage is still in its infancy both in theory and practice.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no systematic literature review that consistently focusses CC usage within SC processes while integrating specific aspects of strategic theory. The obtained insights lead to the first SCM-related reference model for CC usage.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 27 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 December 2020

Henry Chika Eleonu

The purpose of this paper is to present a business process measurement framework for the evaluation of a corpus of business processes modelled in different business process…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a business process measurement framework for the evaluation of a corpus of business processes modelled in different business process modelling approaches. The results of the application of the proposed measurement framework will serve as a basis for choosing business process modelling approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach uses ideas of the goal question metric framework to define metrics for measuring a business process where the metrics answer the questions to achieve the goal. The weighted sum method (WSM) is used to aggregate the measure of attributes of a business process to derive an aggregate measure, and business process modelling approaches are compared based on the evaluation of business process models created in different business process modelling approaches using the aggregate measure.

Findings

The proposed measurement framework was applied to a corpus of business process models in different business process modelling approaches and is showed that insight is gained into the effect of business process modelling approach on the maintainability of a business process model. From the results, business process modelling approaches which imbibed the principle of separation of concerns of models, make use of reference or base model for a family of business process variants and promote the reuse of model elements performed highest when their models are evaluated with the proposed measurement framework. The results showed that the applications of the proposed framework proved to be useful for the selection of business process modelling approaches.

Originality/value

The novelty of this work is in the application of WSM to integrate metric of business process models and the evaluation of a corpus of business process models created in different business process modelling approaches using the aggregate measure.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 27 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 June 2018

Hamdan Mohammed Al-Sabri, Majed Al-Mashari and Azeddine Chikh

The purpose of this paper is to consider the question of what is an appropriate enterprise resource planning (ERP) reference model for specifying areas of change in the context of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider the question of what is an appropriate enterprise resource planning (ERP) reference model for specifying areas of change in the context of IT-driven ERP implementation and through the model matching. There are other implicit goals to increasing the awareness of the reference models, as this highlights the principles embedded in ERP systems and explains the classification of reference models, which is useful in terms of the reuse of knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a comparison between ERP reference models is conducted using a suitable decision-making technique and the final results are discussed. The comparison depends on nine criteria related to conceptual ERP reference models: scope, abstraction, granularity, views, purpose, simplicity, availability, ease of use for model matching, and target audience.

Findings

This study concludes that the business process reference model is best for specifying areas of change in the context of IT-driven ERP implementations. The final ranking of the alternatives based on all criteria places the system organizational model second, followed by the function and data/object reference models, in that order.

Originality/value

This paper is one of very few studies on the selection of appropriate ERP reference models according to the ERP implementation approach and model matching factors. This research also provides an in-depth analysis of various ERP reference model types.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 24 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 October 2023

Kathrin Kirchner, Ralf Laue, Kasper Edwards and Birger Lantow

Medical diagnosis and treatment processes exhibit a high degree of variability, as during the process execution, healthcare professionals can decide on additional steps, change…

Abstract

Purpose

Medical diagnosis and treatment processes exhibit a high degree of variability, as during the process execution, healthcare professionals can decide on additional steps, change the execution order or skip a task. Process models can help to document and to discuss such processes. However, depicting variability in graphical process models using standardized languages, such as Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), can lead to large and complicated diagrams that medical staff who do not have formal training in modeling languages have difficulty understanding. This study proposes a pattern-based process visualization that medical doctors can understand without extensive training. The process descriptions using this pattern-based visualization can later be transformed into formal business process models in languages such as BPMN.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors derived patterns for expressing variability in healthcare processes from the literature and medical guidelines. Then, the authors evaluated and revised these patterns based on interviews with physicians in a Danish hospital.

Findings

A set of business process variability patterns was proposed to express situations with variability in hospital treatment and diagnosis processes. The interviewed medical doctors could translate the patterns into their daily work practice, and the patterns were used to model a hospital process.

Practical implications

When communicating with medical personnel, the patterns can be used as building blocks for documenting and discussing variable processes.

Originality/value

The patterns can reduce complexity in process visualization. This study provides the first validation of these patterns in a hospital.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 30 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2008

Habin Lee, Zahir Irani, Ibrahim H. Osman, Asim Balci, Sevgi Ozkan and Tunc D. Medeni

This paper aims to introduce a European project CEES to develop a standard for the evaluation of Electronic Government (e‐Government) services from a citizen satisfaction…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to introduce a European project CEES to develop a standard for the evaluation of Electronic Government (e‐Government) services from a citizen satisfaction perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim, objectives, methodology, and deliverables of the project CEES are detailed. Furthermore, the challenges of the development of a reference process model in different countries are addressed and academic and practical implications of the project for the citizen‐oriented evaluation of e‐Government services are discussed.

Findings

A reference process model for the evaluation of e‐Government services from a citizens' perspective receives strong support from experiences in other similar areas such as software process and information systems governance. The reference model needs to overcome such challenges as the differences in culture, the maturity of e‐Government systems, and citizens‐government relationships.

Practical implications

The research is expected to trigger international collaboration to develop international standards for the evaluation of e‐Government services.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the literature by enriching the views on e‐Government services and their evaluation via introducing a reference model concept. The CEES project will be the first attempt to apply the reference model concept in the information systems evaluation domain. Despite the wide adoption of reference models in software process, software design, and business process automation, the concept is yet to be applied to the IS evaluation domain.

Details

Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, vol. 2 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6166

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2014

Thomas Kohlborn, Oliver Mueller, Jens Poeppelbuss and Maximilian Roeglinger

More than two decades after the early works about Business Process Management (BPM) were published by the discipline's thought-leaders of that time, the authors were interested in…

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Abstract

Purpose

More than two decades after the early works about Business Process Management (BPM) were published by the discipline's thought-leaders of that time, the authors were interested in getting an assessment of what BPM has been able to achieve so far, what promises have been fulfilled, and where BPM should be heading in the future. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the above issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an interview with Professor Michael Rosemann, one of today's authorities in the BPM field, who shared with us his thoughts on ambidextrous BPM.

Findings

According to Michael Rosemann, the BPM community has, since its conception, put much effort in mastering exploitative BPM that focusses on analyzing and automating single processes as well as on improving such processes step-by-step. However, explorative BPM, which emphasizes radical process change, process innovation and the enabling of new business models, still is in its infancy. Professor Rosemann therefore calls for ambidextrous BPM integrating exploitative and explorative capabilities, more interdisciplinary as well as a closer collaboration between academia and practice.

Originality/value

In this interview, Michael Rosemann points to directions of future development for the BPM community, particularly with respect to explorative BPM. Michael Rosemann also highlights the skillset explorative BPM researchers and professionals should have.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 December 2018

Christian Janiesch and Jörn Kuhlenkamp

Changes in workflow relevant data of business processes at run-time can hinder their completion or impact their profitability as they have been instantiated under different…

Abstract

Purpose

Changes in workflow relevant data of business processes at run-time can hinder their completion or impact their profitability as they have been instantiated under different circumstances. The purpose of this paper is to propose a context engine to enhance a business process management (BPM) system’s context-awareness. The generic architecture provides the flexibility to configure processes during initialization as well as to adapt running instances at decision gates or during execution due to significant context change.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper discusses context-awareness as the conceptual background. The technological capabilities of business rules and complex event processing (CEP) are outlined in an architecture design. A reference process is proposed and discussed in an exemplary application.

Findings

The results provide an improvement over the current situation of static variable instantiation of business processes with local information. The proposed architecture extends the well-known combination of business rules and BPM systems with a context engine based on CEP.

Research limitations/implications

The resulting architecture for a BPM system using a context engine is generic in nature and, hence, requires to be contextualized for situated implementations. Implementation success is dependent on the availability of context information and process compensation options.

Practical implications

Practitioners receive advice on a reference architecture and technology choices for implementing systems, which can provide and monitor context information for business processes as well as intervene and adapt the execution.

Originality/value

Currently, there is no multi-purpose non-proprietary context engine based on CEP or any other technology available for BPM, which facilitates the adaptation of processes at run-time due to changes in context variables. This paper will stimulate a debate between research and practice on suitable design and technology.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 25 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 November 2012

Khoutir Bouchbout, Jacky Akoka and Zaia Alimazighi

This paper aims to present a new approach for developing a framework based on a model driven architecture (MDA) for the modelling of technology‐independent collaborative processes.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a new approach for developing a framework based on a model driven architecture (MDA) for the modelling of technology‐independent collaborative processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper suggests a new collaborative process modelling approach based on an MDA and a metamodelling technique. The research method, based on the design science approach, was started by identifying the characteristics of the collaborative processes, which distinguish them from the classical intraorganizational ones. Then, the generic collaborative business process (CBP) modelling framework is developed based on MDA approach and definition of a set of transformation rules through three layers: business, process, and technical. After that, the core component of the framework was the proposition of a generic CBP metamodel at PIM/MDA level. The specific collaboration participant's business processes (expressed as BPMN model) are generated from the generic CBP model represented as an UML2 Profile activity diagram, which is compliant to CBP metamodel. Finally, as proof‐of‐concept, the architecture of an Eclipse‐based open development platform is developed implementing an e‐Procurement collaborative process.

Findings

The proposed framework for CBP modelling and the generic CBP metamodel contribute towards a more efficient methodology and have consequences for BPM‐related collaboration, facilitating the B2B processes modelling and implementation. In order to demonstrate and evaluate the practical applicability of the framework, the architecture of an Eclipse‐based open development platform is developed implementing a collaborative business application on the basis of an e‐Procurement use case.

Research limitations/implications

There is a need to focus future research efforts on the improvement of the semi‐automatic transformation phase from public to private processes which needs human intervention by adding a suitable interfaces at both sides of the B2B interaction. In addition, the problem of semantic heterogeneities regarding the partner's business process elements (business documents, activity/task names) should be tackled by developing an approach that uses ontology.

Practical implications

Business processes developers find a B2B technology‐independent solution for implementing and using interorganizational information systems.

Originality/value

The paper provides a framework that enables the CBP modelling and integrates a generic CBP metamodel. Currently, to the best of the authors' knowledge, such a generic metamodel and his instantiation have not so far been developed.

Article
Publication date: 20 April 2010

Jan vom Brocke, Jan Recker and Jan Mendling

Financial information about costs and return on investments are of key importance to strategic decision making but also in the context of process improvement or business…

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Abstract

Purpose

Financial information about costs and return on investments are of key importance to strategic decision making but also in the context of process improvement or business engineering. The purpose of this paper is to propose a value‐oriented approach to business process modeling based on key concepts and metrics from operations and financial management, to aid decision making in process re‐design projects on the basis of process models.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper suggests a theoretically founded extension to current process modeling approaches, and delineates a framework as well as methodical support to incorporate financial information into process re‐design. The paper uses two case studies to evaluate the suggested approach.

Findings

Based on two case studies, the paper shows that the value‐oriented process modeling approach facilitates and improves managerial decision making in the context of process re‐design.

Research limitations/implications

The paper presents design work and two case studies. More research is needed to more thoroughly evaluate the presented approach in a variety of real‐life process modeling settings.

Practical implications

The paper shows how the approach enables decision makers to make investment decisions in process re‐design projects, and also how other decisions, for instance in the context of enterprise architecture design, can be facilitated.

Originality/value

This paper reports on an attempt to integrate financial considerations into the act of process modeling, in order to provide more comprehensive decision‐making support in process re‐design projects.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

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