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The purpose of this paper is to compare fundamental concepts from the grounded theory approach to social science research and concepts from entity‐relationship diagramming, a technique used to model data from the field of systems analysis, and propose that entity‐relationship diagramming can be a useful tool for grounded theory researchers.

The paper compares and contrasts concepts from the two different fields, demonstrating the construction of an entity‐relationship diagram from data from an existing grounded theory research project, and the correspondence between the data model constructs and the grounded theory constructs.

A strong correspondence was found between these two sets of concepts and suggests that the entity‐relationship diagramming technique may be a useful addition to the social scientist's toolkit when carrying out research using the grounded theory approach.

The paper bridges two distinct fields – information systems and grounded theory – and proposes a novel way for qualitative researchers to analyse and depict data.

The entity relationship approach has been applied in many areas including that of picture representation. The hierarchical properties of relationship for pictorial representation are discussed in this article and the author claims that the ER approach adds a new dimension to picture representation, making it easy to use and understand. The results obtained may have further useful applications in picture retrieval and processing, pattern recognition and expert systems.

The purpose of the paper is to obtain insight into, and provide practical advice for, event‐based conceptual modeling.

The paper analyzes a set of event concepts and uses the results to formulate a conceptual event model that is used to identify guidelines for creation of dynamic process models and static information models.

The paper characterizes events as short‐duration processes that have participants, consequences, and properties, and that may be modeled in terms of information structures. The conceptual event model is used to characterize a variety of event concepts and it is used to illustrate how events can be used to integrate dynamic modeling of processes and static modeling of information structures.

The results are unique in the sense that no other general event concept has been used to unify a similar broad variety of seemingly incompatible event concepts. The general event concept can be used to improve dynamic and static modeling.

Blockchain as an emerging technology has increased the interests within various industries because of its salient features. A potential application of blockchain for embodied carbon (EC) estimating is being explored. Though there are several databases/tools to estimate EC, the accuracy of estimates prepared using them is affected due to several limitations. As a solution, a prototype blockchain-based EC (BEC) Estimator for distributed supply chain-based EC estimating has been introduced. The data models and user flow diagram that lead to development of a BEC Estimator are developed and evaluated in this study.

A case study approach assisted in developing the data models and user flow diagram for the BEC Estimator. A Delphi-based expert forum was used to evaluate and produce the refined data models and user flow diagram.

The BEC Estimator adopts a waterfall model, a system development lifecycle model, in developing the application. The phases, system analysis and system design, consisting the development of the data models and user flow diagram for the BEC Estimator are discussed.

Estimating EC accurately plays an important role in construction. The BEC Estimator uses the supply chain based embodied carbon estimating method to estimate EC accurately. This paper demonstrates the data models and user flow diagram developed for the BEC Estimator.

Despite a large amount of BIM data at the handover stage, it is still difficult to identify and effectively isolate valuable construction supply chain (CSC) data that need to be reliably handed over for operation. Moreover, the role of reconciling disparate data is usually played by one party. The integration of blockchain and BIM is a plausible framework for building a reliable digital asset lifecycle. This paper proposes a BIM single source of truth (BIMSSoT) data model using blockchain for ensuring a reliable CSC data delivery.

This paper utilises a blended methodology, the foundation of which is ingrained in business and management research with elements of information and communication technology (ICT) research wherever required. Knowledge elicitation case studies utilising novel interventions such as a data flow diagram (DFD), taxonomy and entity-relationship diagram (ERD) were used in this paper to develop the BIMSSoT data model. The model was validated using an expert forum, and its technological feasibility was established by developing a proof of concept.

The practical contribution of this research leads to the progression of BIM towards digital engineering to go beyond object-based 3D modelling by building structured and reliable datasets, transitioning from project-centric records to a digital ecosystem of linked databases by utilizing blockchain's potential for ensuring trusted data.

To the best of the author's knowledge, prior to this paper, no research had investigated a detailed data model development leveraging blockchain and BIM to integrate an immutable and complete record of CSC data as another dimension of BIM for operations.

The Unified Modeling Language has become an alternative to traditional modeling languages such as data flow diagrams for use in systems analysis. A modeling language is used to represent an information system so that analysts can use the model to make decisions about the design of the system and to communicate with stakeholders about the system. This study examines the comparative effectiveness of the UML and traditional modeling languages in communicating information about a system design. The study examines this on three types of individuals: individuals with no knowledge of either modeling language, individuals with no knowledge of either language that were provided training in one of the languages, and individuals that have had more extensive training in one of the languages. The study finds that there is no difference in the ability to communicate system design information between the languages for the first two types of individuals. However, the study finds that, for more extensively trained individuals, systems modeled with the UML are better able to communicate information about the data in the system while systems modeled with traditional languages are better able to communicate information about the process used by the system.

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) has received significant attention as the tool of the future for modeling information systems. However, prior to the development of the UML, IS modeling was done with tools such as Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) and Entity‐Relationship Diagrams (ERDs). These tools have been developed over many years of information systems development and taught to thousands of information systems professionals. Many organizations continue to use these tools, and many other organizations use these tools but are considering switching to the UML. While the UML is being promoted as the future of IS modeling, there is little empirical evidence that suggests it is a better tool than the traditional approach. This research seeks to inform the decision to adopt the UML over traditional modeling tools by examining the efficacy of the two modeling tools in the identification of design defects in an information system model. The study involved MIS students attempting to find defects embedded in a model of an information system. The study finds that students using UML were able to find approximately twice as many of the defects injected in the model as those using traditional modeling tools.

The traditional methods for process modeling emphasize the process workflow considerations at the cost of the associated process structure and resource communication. In the real process world, however, all these aspects are integrated and appear simultaneously: the workflows are driven by communication across the structure of resources. The aim of this paper is to explore a new approach based on an innovative, two‐dimensional view of the process world in an enterprise, integrating the workflow, the structure, and the communication from the beginning on.

Contrary to the traditional methods, the workflow diagrams are not directly designed by the process modeler, but rather they are automatically generated from the connectivity of specified resource communication. The modular documentation contains text and graphic information about the entire process world (structure of process resources, structure of process workflows, resource communication and interaction, communication through internal/external interfaces).

A new systematic approach to modular, process‐oriented enterprise description has been developed. Its two‐dimensional model allows an integrated visualization of the entire process world. The resulting process documentation is absolutely consistent and of very high quality. The user‐friendly access to information is made possible by clear interdependencies of process‐defining objects embedded in a relational documentation model. An update of the complete documentation can be performed automatically from the common database. The successful software implementation of the prototype application and its use in small customer projects demonstrate the practical feasibility of the two‐dimensional approach.

The two‐dimensional process modeling (2DPM) is a new systematic approach to modular process‐oriented enterprise description. A software implementation based on the underlying model together with professional programming tools and principles would be necessary to arrive at a marketable product.

A plethora of BPR methodologies have appeared in the literature during recent years, however, most of them present serious limitations mainly due to the need for a multi‐disciplinary approach. In this paper we present an overview of existing work in the area of BPR with the aim of highlighting the different categories of BPR methodologies identified in the literature, their focus on the redesign process and the general BPR principles that emerge from them. We also present a BPR methodology called Agent Relationship Morphism Analysis (ARMA) that goes beyond the limitations of the existing BPR methodologies taking a holistic view of the organisation. In ARMA the modelling of the business environment is achieved with the use of three perspectives: the structural, behavioural and process. The use of these three perspectives provides insight to the relationship between organisational structure and organisational processes.