The critical success factors of business process management

Although business process management (‘BPM’) is a popular concept, it has not yet been properly theoretically grounded. This leads to problems in identifying both generic and case-specific critical success factors of BPM programs. The paper proposes an underlying theoretical framework with the utilization of three theories: contingency, dynamic capabilities and task–technology fit. The main premise is that primarily the fit between the business environment and business processes is needed. Then both continuous improvement and the proper fit between business process tasks and information systems must exist. The underlying theory is used to identify critical success factors on a case study from the banking sector.     

Improving performance aligning business analytics with process orientation

How to align business analytics with process orientation initiatives and how management can influence a synergistic accomplishment of these two elements in order to streamline organizational performance is a foremost managerial issue. By means of a quantitative research effort, a study was designed to investigate the relationships among these constructs. Empirical data were collected in 2011 from a survey of 368 large and mid-sized industrial and service companies headquartered in Brazil. A quantitative analysis was performed, and both the reliability and validity of the scales were evaluated prior to using structural equation modeling. The results demonstrate that the direct effects among BPO, analytical indicators and performance can be taken as statistically significant. The findings also demonstrate that BPO and analytical indicators can be taken as predictors of performance. The paper discusses these results and their managerial implications, as well as some research paths for future studies on the topic.     

Supporting performance management with business process management and business intelligence: A case analysis of integration and orchestration

The case(s) demonstrates the importance of business process management (BPM) and business intelligence systems (BIS) in achieving better firm performance. It has been well documented in the literature that research on the effectively usage and combination of knowledge from BPM and BIS in turbulent service environments is limited. In response, we conduct an exploratory comparative case study of four firms in banking and telecommunication industries that have implemented BPM initiative and BIS solution. Our results firstly highlight that actual results of applying BPM and BIS differ greatly from the results that were originally planned. Secondly, we find that BIS initiatives are usually driven by improving marketing and sales, while BPM initiatives are driven by improving business processes. Thirdly, we identify that there is a lack of strong commitment to using both systems for supporting performance management.     

Reconciling two approaches to critical success factors: The case of shared services in the public sector

Shared services have been embraced by the private, and increasingly, the public sectors. Yet implementation has often proved to be difficult and the factors which are critical to success are not yet well understood. In this paper existing research in the area of critical success factors (CSFs) is examined and it is suggested that that research actually covers two distinct phenomena. One approach is focused on identifying the factors required for a specific individual to achieve their outcomes. The second on determining the general success factors for implementing a project of a certain type. A reconciliation of the two approaches is proposed within a framework that distinguishes between three different types of CSF – outcome, implementation process and operating environment characteristic. A case study of a project to implement shared services in the Australian public sector is examined using the reconciled framework. The case shows that the reconciled approach by including, and differentiating between, outcome, process and operating environment characteristic factors provides a richer and more complete picture of requirements. Further benefits from the synthesis are also highlighted including that factors are a mix of universal and context specific, different perspectives on factors exist and not all environmental factors perceived to be critical have to necessarily be present.     

On the role of context in business process management

Business Process Management (BPM) has proven successful to help organizations improve and innovate, and its application has grown in scope and context. One essential problem related to this development is that the BPM body of knowledge does not account for a broader variety of business contexts. On the contrary, most approaches, methods, or models in BPM suggest one way forward, and we recognize that BPM projects following a one-size-fits-all approach are prone to fail, since they do not sufficiently consider situational requirements. In this viewpoint article, we argue that BPM needs to be contextual in order for projects to be most efficient and effective. We observe a lack of research on how to identify and characterize business contexts relevant for tailoring the right BPM approach. Therefore, we examine contextual factors that influence BPM and propose a framework to identify the context in which BPM is applied. We define context in BPM as situational factors related to goal-, process-, organization-, and environment-dimensions. Our viewpoint article not only creates awareness for contextual BPM, it also intends to stimulate research on the role of context in BPM and to help practitioners better understand the specific business context in which BPM initiatives are applied.     

Business process management and IT management: The missing integration

The importance of business processes and the centrality of IT to contemporary organizations’ performance calls for a specific focus on business process management and IT management. Despite the wide scope of business process management covering both business and IT domains, and the profound impact of IT on process innovations, the association between business process management and IT management is under-explored. Drawing on a literature analysis of the capabilities of business process and IT governance frameworks and findings from a case study, we propose the need for horizontal integration between the two management functions to enable strategic and operational business—IT alignment. We further argue that the role of IT in an organization influences the direction of integration between the two functions and thus the choice of integration mechanisms. Using case study findings, we propose that IT as a business enabler respectively calls for sequential and reciprocal integrations at strategic and operational planning levels. Drawing on logical reasoning, we suggest that IT as a strategic driver necessitates reciprocal integration at both levels.     

Mediation effect of business process and supply chain management capabilities on the impact of IT on firm performance: Evidence from Chinese firms

Motivated by the seeming presence of the productivity paradox in China, this research revisits the question of how information technology (IT) affects firm performance. Leveraging the process-based view of IT, we establish a theoretical framework for the mediation factors for the relationship between IT capabilities and performance. Based on a survey of 127 companies in China, we find that a firm's management capabilities to manage both its internal and external business processes fully mediate the impact of IT on firm performance. The two management capabilities in this study are business-process management capability and supply-chain management capability. Our results show that only the coherent integration of IT capability with firm’s ability to optimize business processes and to improve management of supply chains can enhance firm performance. Firms should avoid the fallacy that IT investments are solely responsible for better firm performance. Based on our findings, we discuss the implications for research and practice.     

A non-linear business process management maturity framework to apprehend future challenges

In a context where enterprises and organizations aim to optimise their behaviour, obtain certifications and labels, and benefit from the smart use of information systems and technology, two considerations drive this research: (1) the weak maturity level of worldwide Business Process Management (BPM), which exposes the need to reconcile academic theories with industrial contexts, and (2) the need for upcoming software functionalities that prioritize removing the barriers frequently encountered by industrialists when trying to implement the method. To reach such goals, this research work has developed a conceptual framework to represent the BPM implementation state. It is built along three axes: the BPM Cycle (Design, Enact, Maintain), the Field (Culture, Business, IT) and the Abstraction Level (Data, Jobs, Behaviour). An organization’s overall BPM maturity can thus be evaluated by positioning its capabilities along the framework’s axes. It is also suggested that the framework be used to track the implementation of new procedures in an organisation. The framework is presented and detailed before being applied to a complete case study.     

30 years of intelligence models in management and business: A bibliometric review

The critical factors in the big data era are collection, analysis, and dissemination of information to improve an organization’s competitive position and enhance its products and services. In this scenario, it is imperative that organizations use Intelligence, which is understood as a process of gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and disseminating high-value data and information at the right time for use in the decision-making process. Earlier, the concept of Intelligence was associated with the military and national security sector; however, in present times, and as organizations evolve, Intelligence has been defined in several ways for the purposes of different applications. Given that the purpose of Intelligence is to obtain real value from data, information, and the dynamism of the organizations, the study of this discipline provides an opportunity to analyze the core trends related to data collection and processing, information management, decision-making process, and organizational capabilities. Therefore, the present study makes a conceptual analysis of the existing definitions of intelligence in the literature by quantifying the main bibliometric performance indicators, identifying the main authors and research areas, and evaluating the development of the field using SciMAT as a bibliometric analysis software.     

环境、氛围与外部取向管理创新模式:理论与案例

构建了行业环境、组织创新氛围影响下,我国企业外部取向管理创新模式的选择机理框架;通过质性数据分析方法对行业环境变动程度的测度指标进行了细化;在此基础上基于对行业环境变动程度和组织创新氛围的测度,分别选择了高、低变动行业环境,强、弱组织创新氛围四个维度下的不同案例,通过远大、三洋、森禾和华英的外部取向管理创新案例对构建的研究框架进行了实证检验。研究结果表明:高变动程度的行业环境是外部取向管理创新的驱动因素;创新氛围通过创新能力的溢出促进了外部取向管理创新的实施;原创型、改进型和模仿型模式选择是在两者的共同作用下完成的。     

Evaluating a department’s research: Testing the Leiden methodology in business and management

The Leiden methodology (LM), also sometimes called the “crown indicator”, is a quantitative method for evaluating the research quality of a research group or academic department based on the citations received by the group in comparison to averages for the field. There have been a number of applications but these have mainly been in the hard sciences where the data on citations, provided by the ISI Web of Science (WoS), is more reliable. In the social sciences, including business and management, many journals and books are not included within WoS and so the LM has not been tested here. In this research study the LM has been applied on a dataset of over 3000 research publications from three UK business schools. The results show that the LM does indeed discriminate between the schools, and has a degree of concordance with other forms of evaluation, but that there are significant limitations and problems within this discipline.     

企业家视角下外部取向管理创新决策——基于探索性多案例识别的实证研究

旨在探讨企业外部取向管理创新的决策机理。通过宝钢、首钢和太钢的战略创新,三洋、海尔和美国哈斯曼的服务创新,以及淘宝、易趣和网盛的商业模式创新三组探索性多案例研究析出了企业家在进行外部取向管理创新决策时重点考量的因素;并据此构建了外部取向管理创新决策机理框架,通过对北京、天津和东三省地区300家企业的问卷调查对框架进行了实证检验。研究表明,企业家在进行外部取向管理创新决策时并非对企业内外部因素进行系统性考量,而是重点分析客户需求、资源约束、技术能力等关键因素;企业家对因素的不同认知决定了外部取向管理创新决策的异质性;得出了企业规模、而非性质决定创新决策的结果。