Management Concept of Business Process Reengineering. What new insights does the theory yield?

Table of Contents

1. OBJECTIVES AND STRUCTURE

2. DEFINITION: BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING

2.1 Dimension: Business

2.2 Dimension: Process

2.2.1 Core and Support Processes

2.2.2 Process Optimisation

2.2.3 Case Worker - Case Team

2.2.4 Standardisation - Triage

2.2.5 The Role of Information Technology

2.3 Dimension: Reengineering

3. DIFFERENTIATION OF BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING

3.1 Business Reengineering

3.2 Total Quality Management

3.3 Lean Management

3.4 Business Process Optimisation

4. PROCESS MODEL OF BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING

4.1 Requirements for Business Process Reengineering

4.1.1 Identification and assessment of business processes

4.1.2 Application of information technology

4.1.2.1 Information technology as Driver for Innovation

4.1.2.2 IT Tools for Process Design

4.1.3 Qualification of staff members

4.2 Methods for Business Process Reengineering

4.2.1 Hammer

4.2.1.1 Process Model

4.2.1.2 Project Organisation

4.2.2 Davenport

4.2.2.1 Process Model

4.2.2.2 Project Organisation

4.2.3 Assessment of the Methods of Hammer and Davenport

5. ASPECTS OF ORGANISATIONAL THEORY REGARDING BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING

5.1 Boundaries of the operational organisation structure

5.2 Process Organisation

5.3 Aspects of the Organisational Behaviour

6. ASSESSMENT AND OUTLOOK

6.1 Bilance of Success

6.2 Reasons for Failure

6.3 New Developments

6.4 Conclusion

Objectives and Topics

The dissertation outlines the management concept of Business Process Reengineering, aiming to clarify terminology, describe process models, and classify the concept within existing management and organisational theories. It addresses the effectiveness of the theory, its endurance, and its practical application for improving corporate performance.

• Theoretical foundations of Business Process Reengineering
• Methodological comparison of Hammer's and Davenport's approaches
• Organizational restructuring and the impact of process orientation
• The role of information technology as an innovation driver
• Critical success factors and reasons for project failure

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 OBJECTIVES AND STRUCTURE: Defines the thesis objective regarding the outline and classification of the Business Process Reengineering management concept.

2 DEFINITION: BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING: Explores the conceptual foundations through the dimensions of Business, Process, and Reengineering.

3 DIFFERENTIATION OF BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING: Distinguishes the core concept from other management approaches like Total Quality Management and Lean Management.

4 PROCESS MODEL OF BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING: Details the requirements, IT applications, and methodological models provided by Hammer and Davenport.

5 ASPECTS OF ORGANISATIONAL THEORY REGARDING BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING: Analyzes the transition from traditional, functionally oriented structures to process-oriented organizational forms.

6 ASSESSMENT AND OUTLOOK: Evaluates the success and failure factors of reengineering projects and provides an outlook on future management developments.

Keywords

Business Process Reengineering, BPR, Process Management, Customer Orientation, Organizational Structure, Information Technology, Process Innovation, Hammer, Davenport, Lean Management, Total Quality Management, Change Management, Core Competence, Process Optimization, Knowledge Management

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this work?

The thesis provides a comprehensive overview of the Business Process Reengineering (BPR) management concept, focusing on its definitions, implementation models, and its place in organizational theory.

What are the primary themes discussed?

The work covers the three dimensions of business, process, and reengineering, explores process modeling, organizational restructuring, and the critical role of information technology.

What is the primary research goal?

The objective is to outline the BPR concept, clarify its terms, and critically classify it within existing management theories to determine what insights and improvements it offers to companies.

Which scientific methods are employed?

The thesis uses a literature-based analysis and a comparative evaluation of the methodologies proposed by leading experts, specifically Michael Hammer and Thomas Davenport.

What content is covered in the main section?

The main part deals with the definition of BPR dimensions, a detailed comparison with other concepts like Lean Management, the practical implementation models, and organizational theory implications.

Which keywords characterize this work?

Key terms include Business Process Reengineering, Process Innovation, Organizational Structure, Customer Orientation, and Information Technology.

How do Hammer's and Davenport's methods differ?

Hammer advocates for a radical "clean slate" approach without analyzing the existing process, whereas Davenport suggests a thorough analysis of the "as-is" state to identify flaws before redesigning.

Why do so many BPR projects fail according to the author?

Failure often results from implementation errors, such as a lack of top management commitment, neglect of the human factor and stakeholder concerns, and the difficulty of transferring US-centric concepts to other cultural contexts.

What role does IT play in reengineering?

IT acts as a fundamental driver for innovation, enabling process automation, information transparency, and new ways of working that go beyond simple computerization.