Business Process Management (BPM)

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 1145-1162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Giacosa ◽  
Alberto Mazzoleni ◽  
Antonio Usai
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Organizational Ambidexterity ◽  
Organizational Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Family ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Although Business Process Management (BPM) is a critical issue and small- and medium-sized family firms (SMFFs) frequently adopt process organization, very little literature focuses on the processes by which family firms remain distinctive (Chrisman et al., 2016) or on their approach to BPM. The current research aims to fill this gap by analyzing dynamic companies’ attitudes to process-driven ability that concern exploitative as well as explorative processes. The purpose of this paper is to identify which kinds of dimensions may build an ambidextrous state in BPM in SMFFs, also favored by entrepreneurial IT capabilities and influenced by a stable but changeable context. Design/methodology/approach The authors referred to vom Brocke et al.’s (2014) study as it allows a focus on BPM research in the context of SMFFs. Then, the authors adapted the framework to the context of SMFFs. In addition, an empirical analysis has been made for applying the framework’s principles on effective BPM requirements to SMFFs. In the research, the authors applied grounded theory, according to which observation and theorization are linked by circularity, as they represent moments being managed simultaneously. The theorization emerged in different moments of the empirical surveys, influencing the next data gathering and the data gathering was the object of a de-structured matching and analysis process. Findings Specific cultural and cognitive aspects, values and abilities affect the company behavior of SMFFs in terms of BPM, and this is influenced by the connection between the family and the business. Therefore, it confirms that the family is a missing variable in organizational research (Dyer, 2006) also in BPM. A good BPM permits the definition of business abilities of running the current processes, along with of acclimatizing the company to a changeable context. In regard to the exploitative and explorative strengths typical of organizational ambidexterity, the research favors, respectively, transactional excellence with a focus on net cost reduction and transformational excellence based on net revenue generation. This approach requires consideration of the difference between external and internal contingencies as well as of the different processes to manage. However, despite IT-based BPM tools and the new era of IT-based process thinking, technology appropriation is only one of our dimensions, and each dimension plays a role in good BPM behavior; only a combination of dimensions favors effective and flexible BPM. Research limitations/implications The research contributes to the literature on BPM through theoretical implications, in particular two main implications. First, the research emphasizes the impact of familiness on good BPM practice. Family appears to be a missing variable in organizational research on BPM, even though familiness affects process specificity and mechanisms. Second, the research is based on certain category dimensions that characterize management models common in the literature, allowing the application of BPM in FFs by taking advantage of their confidence and adaptability. Limitations are related to different points of view on the model’s scope and design, the recipient and the research method. Practical implications The research has two main practical implications, representing managerial potential, that improve the significance and originality of the research in internal and external contexts. In the internal context, this permits a new BPM mind-set. Originality/value The research is original for the following two reasons. First, when FF complexity grows and/or new organizational issues emerge, FFs are faced with two challenges: an increased number of complex processes to handle, along with a lack of IT-based BPM for organizational ambidexterity. In such a context, this research can suggest a solution. Second, the research is based on dimensions that have been widely characterized in general management models. For this reason, FFs may already be familiar with these dimensions. In addition, the model strongly valorizes the familiness impact on BPM development and takes into consideration the context awareness of the company.

Identifying do’s and don’ts using the integrated business process management framework

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 882-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Malinova ◽  
Jan Mendling
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Framework ◽  
Research Gap ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The authors observe that actionable guidelines are missing from many reference works on business process management (BPM). Also, success factors are mostly not contextualized in the different phases and concerns of a BPM initiative. The purpose of this paper is to address this research gap. Design/methodology/approach The research design builds on a literature survey for building an integrated framework for BPM that is referred to as integrated BPM. It integrates lifecycle phases, capability areas and governance aspects. Then, the authors consolidate insights from expert interviews. Findings As a result, the authors provide a list of various activities that are associated with the different elements of BPM. Furthermore, the authors describe pitfalls for each of the elements that have been avoided in order to make the BPM initiative a success. Research limitations/implications The findings emphasize the potential to study BPM success and its factors on a more fine-granular activity level. Practical implications The list of activities and the list of pitfalls are directly applicable for practitioners. Originality/value The research on the integrated BPM framework consolidates insights from prior research and extends it with an expert perspective on pitfalls.

Business process orientation in the Slovenian power supply

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 780-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajko Novak ◽  
Aleksander Janeš
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Power Supply ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Process Maturity ◽  
Process Orientation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically evaluate business process orientation (BPO) of the Slovenian power supply business.Design/methodology/approachWithin the empirical investigation, the level of BPO maturity was measured in the 19 organizations of the power supply business. The survey was focused on the top, middle and lower managers. As a measuring instrument, a questionnaire for the extended concept of process orientation with nine elements was used.FindingsThe results of the BPO measurement show that, despite this long-standing preoccupation with processes, certified management system and the computerization of operations, process maturity is not high. Particularly the lowest score for information technology represents a surprise.Practical implicationsThis research makes significant contributions to the literature and above all to scholars and practitioners who work professionally in this field and will find useful guidance for a better understanding of applying BPO and maturity models.Social implicationsOne important reason for performing the maturity measurement in the power supply business is the importance of its activities for the operation and development and environmental impact of the whole of Slovenian society.Originality/valuePresented research is the first one which considers the BPO maturity in the Slovenian power supply business and therefore contributes to understanding of the “intangible factors” which have impact on the introduction of business process management and BPO.

Big data integration with business processes: a literature review

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 477-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Fosso Wamba ◽  
Deepa Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Business Process ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of the integration of business process management (BPM), business process re-engineering (BPR) and business process innovation (BPI) with big data. It focusses on synthesizing research published in the period 2006-2016 to establish both what the authors know and do not know about this topic, identifying areas for future research. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on a review of 49 published papers on big data, BPM, BPR and BPI in the top journals in the field 2006-2016. Findings In this paper, the authors have identified the most influential works based on citations and PageRank methods. Through network analysis the authors identify four major clusters that provide potential opportunities for future investigation. Practical implications It is important for practitioners to be aware of the benefits of big data, BPM, BPR and BPI integration. This paper provides valuable insights for practitioners. Originality/value This paper is based on a comprehensive literature review, which gives big data researchers the opportunity to understand business processes in depth. In addition, highlighting many gaps in the current literature and developing an agenda for future research, will save time and effort for readers looking to research topics within big data and business processes.

An examination of associations between business process management capabilities and the benefits of digitalization: all capabilities are not equal

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Lederer Antonucci ◽  
Annetta Fortune ◽  
Mathias Kirchmer
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Management Capabilities ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeWhile organizations have learned to understand the importance of developing business process management (BPM) capabilities, digitalization now transforms business processes, and introduces new challenges. Extending prior research examining the value of BPM capabilities in organizations, this study examines the associations of BPM capabilities across direct and indirect digitalization benefits.Design/methodology/approachDrawing from the capabilities perspective of strategic management, the dynamic versus ordinary classification was used to classify eight BPM capabilities. An empirical investigation of associations between the eight BPM capabilities and 20 digitalization benefits is presented based on data collected from 165 BPM professionals across four continents. Factor analyses were performed to verify the framework measures for BPM capabilities and digitalization benefits. The Kendall's tau-b (τb) correlation coefficient was used to measure the strength and direction of associations.FindingsOverall results confirm positive associations between BPM capabilities and digitalization benefits, but the relationship was less dominant for ordinary BPM capabilities and indirect benefits. Furthermore, relationships between individual BPM capabilities and specific digitalization benefits vary both across and within the categories.Practical implicationsThese findings support the moderate capability-based view that puts ordinary and dynamic capabilities on equal footing in dynamic environments, while also providing insight for managers focused on specific outcomes with digitalization efforts.Originality/valueThis study reveals that the strength of associations between BPM capabilities and digitalization benefits varies. This highlights the relevance of ordinary-dynamic and direct-indirect distinctions, and the value of a more fine-grained understanding to better inform practice.

A theory of contingent business process management

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 1291-1316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Zelt ◽  
Jan Recker ◽  
Theresa Schmiedel ◽  
Jan vom Brocke
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Business Process ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Process Performance ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Many researchers and practitioners suggest a contingent instead of a “one size fits all” approach in business process management (BPM). The purpose of this paper is to offer a contingency theory of BPM, which proposes contingency factors relevant to the successful management of business processes and that explains how and why these contingencies impact the relationships between process management and performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors develop the theory by drawing on organizational information processing theory (OIPT) and applying an information processing (IP) perspective to the process level. Findings The premise of the model is that the process management mechanisms such as documentation, standardization or monitoring must compensate for the uncertainty and equivocality of the nature of the process that has to be managed. In turn, managing through successful adaptation is a prerequisite for process performance. Research limitations/implications The theory provides a set of testable propositions that specify the relationship between process management mechanisms and process performance. The authors also discuss implications of the new theory for further theorizing and outline empirical research strategies that can be followed to enact, evaluate and extend the theory. Practical implications The theory developed in this paper allows an alternative way to describe organizational processes and supports the derivation of context-sensitive management approaches for process documentation, standardization, monitoring, execution and coordination. Originality/value The theoretical model is novel in that it provides a contextualized view on BPM that acknowledges different types of processes and suggests different mechanisms for managing these. The authors hope the paper serves as inspiration both for further theory development as well as to empirical studies that test, refute, support or otherwise augment the arguments.

Social business process management

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-211
Author(s):  
Patricia Bazan ◽  
Elsa Estevez
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Implicit Knowledge ◽  
Social Software ◽  
Social Business ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the state of the art of social business process management (Social BPM), explaining applied approaches, existing tools and challenges and to propose a research agenda for encouraging further development of the area. Design/methodology/approach The methodology comprises a qualitative analysis using secondary data. The approach relies on searches of scientific papers conducted in well-known databases, identifying research work related to Social BPM solutions and those contributing with social characteristics to BPM. Based on the identified papers, the authors selected the most relevant and the latest publications, and categorized their contributions and findings based on open and selective coding. In total, the analysis is based on 51 papers that were selected and analyzed in depth. Findings Main results show that there are several studies investigating modeling approaches for socializing process activities and for capturing implicit knowledge possessed and used by process actors, enabling to add some kind of flexibility to business processes. However, despite the proven interest in the area, there are not yet adequate tools providing effective solutions for Social BPM. Based on our findings, the authors propose a research agenda comprising three main lines: contributions of social software (SS) to Social BPM, Social BPM as a mechanism for adding flexibility to and for discovering new business processes and Social BPM for enhancing business processes with the use of new technologies. The authors also identify relevant problems for each line. Practical implications Some SS tools, like wikis, enable managing social aspects in executing business processes and can be used to coordinate simple business processes. Despite they are commonly used, they are not yet mature tools supporting Social BPM and more efficient tools are yet to appear. The lack of tools preclude organizations from benefitting from implicit knowledge owned by and shared among business process actors, which could contribute to better-informed decisions related to organizational processes. In addition, more research is needed for considering Social BPM as an approach for organizations to benefit from the adoption of new technologies in their business processes. Originality/value The paper assesses the state of the art in Social BPM, an incipient area in research and practice. The area can be defined as the intersection of two bigger areas highly relevant for organizations; on the one hand, the management and execution of business processes; and on the other hand, the use of social software, including social media tools, for leveraging on implicit knowledge shared by business process actors to improving efficiency of business processes.

Paradigms in business process management specifications: a critical overview

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 1040-1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panos T. Chountalas ◽  
Athanasios G. Lagodimos
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Scholarly Publications ◽  
Common Framework ◽  
Management Paradigms ◽  
Critical Overview

Purpose Despite its popularity, business process management (BPM) is not unequivocally defined, but obtains different forms with varying specifications. This paper presents a critical overview of BPM, as it appears within four dominant management paradigms: total quality management, standardized management systems, business process reengineering and Six Sigma. The purpose of this paper is to explore BPM specifications and compare the BPM implementation potential under each paradigm. Design/methodology/approach This is based on the analysis of a large number of highly cited scholarly publications. In order to identify the nature of BPM within each paradigm, a common framework for comparison is first established and then, for each paradigm, BPM is analyzed according to the main parameters of this framework. Findings Many differences among various BPM forms are paradigm driven. So, the approach adopted by each paradigm (i.e. individual-process or systemic approach) affects the scope and role of BPM. The principles of each paradigm directly affect the attributes assigned to BPM. Despite of important differences, the structure of BPM within all paradigms conforms to the stages of the classical BPM lifecycle. However, each paradigm assigns different weights to each stage and also displays different levels of BPM implementability. Originality/value The paper presents a first systematic comparison of BPM specifications for the dominant management paradigms primarily deployed. It thus explains why many attributes originating from the paradigms have crept into the general BPM specifications. This work can be considered as a step toward defining the core attributes of a paradigm-independent BPM model, thus enhancing its application scope as an invaluable management tool.

Talent management processes and outcomes in a virtual organization

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Vecchi ◽  
Bice Della Piana ◽  
Rosangela Feola ◽  
Chiara Crudele
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Virtual Organization ◽  
Talent Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Successful Business ◽  
Global Work

PurposeThis paper investigates how global talent management processes are adopted and implemented in a virtual organization to successfully address the challenges of global work arrangements and the sustainable human and social outcomes that can be achieved.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a single, exploratory and critical case study methodology, this paper analyzes a global distributed company, Automattic Inc., to provide in-depth and rich insights on successful business process management in the human resources (HR) domain.FindingsThe findings offer some exemplary and valuable lessons in sustainable human resource management for firms in all sectors on how to embrace global talent management in a more creative and sustainable way – and the benefits in terms of efficiency and effectiveness that can be derived – by identifying talent through auditions, recruiting by inspiring others to apply, developing talent by sharing the value of learning and retaining talent by having fun.Originality/valueThe study contributes a more rounded understanding of successful business process management in the HR domain. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is particularly relevant and timely for all organizations (traditional or virtual) venturing into successful global work arrangements.

Business process modeling, implementation, analysis, and management: the case of business process management tools

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Behjat Zuhaira ◽  
Naveed Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Process Modeling ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Software Tools ◽  
Process Reengineering ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Tool Selection ◽  
Content Type

PurposeSignificant numbers of business process management (BPM) projects fail. Their failure is attributed toward many factors. Among them, low quality of BPM is one reason. Some of the tasks in BPM have their roots in business process reengineering (BPR). The literature has cited many different critical success and failure factors for quality BPM and BPR. Lack of software tools is one of the technology-oriented factors that results in poor BPM and BPR. This paper aims to build a generic feature set offered by software tools for process modeling their analysis implementation and management. It presents an objective analysis in identifying weaknesses and strengths of these tools, primarily for BPM.Design/methodology/approachA method is proposed to evaluate the quality of process reengineering and management delivered by software tools. It consists of four phases: feature extraction, tool selection, data extraction and tool evaluation.FindingsThe data gathered is quantified to test research hypotheses, the results are statistically significant and highlight multiple areas for future improvements. Moreover, the cluster visualizations created also help to understand the strengths and weaknesses of BPM/BPR tools.Research limitations/implicationsDespite the research approach used, there is a chance of subjectivity when it comes to evaluating different tools.Practical implicationsThe paper includes implications for practitioners and researchers for choosing appropriate software tool for process modeling, analysis, implementation and management, matching their requirements with BPM and BPR. It also identifies features that are missing in these tools.Originality/valueThis paper provides a comprehensive analysis of BPM and supporting tools, relates them to key stages of BPM life cycle and BPR methodologies. It also identifies various areas for further development in these tools.

scholarly journals Nexus between business process management (BPM) and accounting

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 745-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahangama Withanage Janitha Chandimali Abeygunasekera ◽  
Wasana Bandara ◽  
Moe Wynn ◽  
Ogan Yigitbasioglu
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Business Process ◽  
Business Process Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Structured Literature Review

Purpose Multidisciplinary business process management (BPM) research can reap significant impact. We can particularly benefit from incorporating accounting concepts to address some of the key BPM challenges, such as value-creation and return on investment of BPM activities. However, research which addresses a relationship between BPM and accounting is scarce. The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed synthesis of the current literature that has integrated accounting aspects with BPM. The authors profile and thematically describe existing research, and derive evidence-based directions to guide future research. Design/methodology/approach A multi-staged structured literature review approach to search for the two broad themes, accounting and BPM, supported by NVivo (to manage the papers and the coding and analysis processes) was designed and followed. Findings The paper confirms the dearth of work that ties the two disciplines, despite the synergetic multidisciplinary results that can be attained. Available literature is mostly from the management accounting perspective and relates to describing how performance management, in particular performance measurement, can be applicable to process improvement initiatives together with tools such as activity-based costing and the balanced scorecard. There is a lack of research that examines BPM in relation to any financial accounting perspectives (such as external reporting). Future research directions are proposed together with implications for practitioners with the findings of this structured literature review. Research limitations/implications The paper provides a detailed synthesis of the existing literature on the nexus between accounting and BPM. It summarizes the implications for practitioners and provides directions for future research by identifying key gaps and opportunities with a sound contextual basis for extension and new work. Originality/value Effective literature reviews create strong foundations for future research and accumulate the otherwise scattered knowledge into a single place. This is the first structured literature review that provides a detailed synthesis of the research that ties together the accounting and BPM disciplines, providing a basis for future research directions together with implications for practitioners.

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