An advanced insight into managing business processes in practice

Abstract

Business systems consist of interrelated processes and business structures. Performance of the processes is of the greatest strategic and operational importance in affecting organisations' business results, competitiveness, and sustained success. This paper presents a holistic approach to business processes and their management, and aims at reacting against problems and superficial solutions that we have found in many organisations. Process management concepts are clarified in a business-oriented way. The presented principles and managing tools and infrastructure have proved effective and efficient in practical cases in different organisations. People and leadership aspects, information and knowledge aspects, and requirements of modern business networks and ecosystems are especially highlighted. The value of our approach lies in its comprehensiveness and theoretical foundation. These and our flexibly practical business-oriented tools ensure that possible limitations can be evaluated and avoided. The results achieved encourage dedicated tailoring towards other organisations and further research. The research approach of this paper is business pragmatism combined with relevant academic studies based on the authors' long-term experience both as business and standardisation practitioners, and involvement with academic research. Hence, practical results are grounded in the ontological and epistemological theoretical foundation, and linked with business reality.

Keywords:

• business process
• management
• integration
• quality management
• specialised managerial disciplines