Introduces a number of concepts and frameworks developed during the
first phase of an EPSRC/CDP grant entitled “A Specification of a Business
Process Re‐engineering Methodology for Small and Medium Sized
Manufacturing Enterprises”. A traditional, functionally oriented
organization is characterized by fragmentation and staged inventories of
work caused by a failure to integrate and synchronize activities. A
process focused organization aims to optimize performance across the
whole process. Outlines many of the key issues facing organizations
seeking to adopt a process orientation. Presents two frameworks for
analysis. The first identifies the major business processes in any
manufacturing company, the second seeks to classify types of business
process re‐engineering intervention. Concludes by discussing the major
issues currently facing those researching into business process
re‐engineering.
Presents the results of empirical research into issues faced by 25
companies undertaking business process re‐engineering (BPR) programmes.
The research team sought to understand the BPR phenomenon through visits
to 21 leading practitioners and four in‐depth case studies. The research
indicated that six key issues affect the way in which BPR programmes are
carried out, namely the nature of the change proposed (radical or
incremental), the performance measures applied during the programme, the
impact of information technology, the impact of human factors, the
presence or absence of a process architecture and the link between BPR
and strategy. The outcome of this research has implications for both
practitioners and researchers. Where practitioners are concerned, the
conventional, step‐by‐step BPR methodology should be amended to take
into account these six issues more fully. For researchers there is a
need for substantial research into good practice in BPR in each of the
six areas.
This paper explores the concept of strategic performance measurement in SMEs. To provide some depth and breadth for the investigation the research was structured into two phases. The fIrst phase of the research focused on identifying whether SMEs develop and use strategic performance measures. A survey of eight SMEs, in the south west of England, was undertaken using semi-structured interviews. The second phase involved a more in-depth study and was based on observing the introduction of a strategic performance measurement system in a small company. The results gained to date indicate that SMEs have a good understanding of fmancial measurement, and are moving towards customer focused measures. However, these measures typically lack strategic alignment and many may be questioned in regard of their value for business improvement. The observations made during phase two of the research, the development of a new strategic performance measurement system in an SME, indicated the potential planning and control benefIts from the design process that was utilised. However, particular diffIculties were evident in the development and implementation of the K. Mertins et al. (eds.), Global Production Management
Research work is proceeding on the development of a framework that will help manufacturing businesses identify business processes, process components and links between the processes to form a company-wide view. This paper describes the supporting theory of systems and the structure, development and validation of a model of standard business processes.
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