Business-process management: a proposed framework for future research

Abstract

Firms have embarked on the business-process management (BPM) initiative to gain competitive advantages. However, many are still struggling to understand the  concept. Moreover, most firms have not approached this initiative deliberately and formally due to a lack of understanding of its nature. This article first aims to provide a clear description of BPM, which includes its definition, evolution and two alternative perspectives. Second, to help enhance the understanding of BPM conduct, it discusses various BPM strategies and the conditions conducive to BPM. Lastly, this article culminates by proposing a framework for future research which is able to guide practitioners in implementing BPM successfully.

Keywords:

• business-process management
• framework
• BPM

Acknowledgement

The author is grateful to the Research Creativity and Management Office at Universiti Sains Malaysia for supporting the study through the USM RU Grant (Account No: 1001/PMGT/816191).

Notes

For example, in total quality management, quality leaders (Deming, Feigenbaum, Juran, Crosby, Taguchi and many others), lean six (Barney & McCarty, 2003; Conger, 2010; Ramias, 2005) and business process reengineering leaders (Davenport & Short, 1990; Hammer & Champy, 1993; Smart et al., 2008) have suggested a number of guidelines to manage business.