Business process management: a boundaryless approach to modern competitiveness

Zairi, Mohamed

doi:10.1108/14637159710161585

Cited by 341 publications

(310 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Process improvement principles derived from best practices are assumed to be "universal in the sense that they are applicable within the context of any business process" (Reijers and Liman Mansar 2005, 295). This view promotes the general application of best practices because it assumes that they are always effective (Zairi 1997). A recent survey seems to corroborate this position by finding that redesign best practices are extensively used by practitioners in various industries, such as business planning, healthcare, manufacturing and software development (Liman Mansar and Reijers 2007).…”

Section: Background Literaturementioning

confidence: 59%

Four archetypes of process improvement: a Q-methodological study

Ponsignon

Maull

Smart

2013

International Journal of Production Research

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This paper explores the process improvement approaches of organisations. It seeks to identify process redesign principles and the combinations of these principles that are used successfully in industry. We use Q-methodology to explore the viewpoints of a range of highly-experienced process experts about the success of 16 improvement practices. Qmethodology enables the examination of the similarities and differences in the success of the improvement principles used by organisations in order to inform archetypes of process improvement. Overall, our findings suggest that process improvement is determined through the application of two foundational principles combined with one of four archetypes. 'Remove non-value-adding tasks' and 're-sequence tasks' are described as foundational principles of process improvement, whilst outsourcing needs to be approached with caution. Furthermore, we articulate four distinctive archetypes comprising unique configurations of improvement principles that can be used to redesign operational processes. Based on this evidence we propose a typology of process improvement. This work suggests that rather than adopting generic improvement frameworks, managers should consult the typology to determine the archetype in closest proximity to their specific requirements. This study has several limitations including the small number of items populating the concourse and the fact that implementation problems are not taken into account.

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Section: Background Literaturementioning

confidence: 59%

Four archetypes of process improvement: a Q-methodological study

Ponsignon

Maull

Smart

2013

International Journal of Production Research

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“…In terms of developing schools or theories of management, classical theory (led by the school of Scientific Administration of which Frederick W. Taylor was its main exponent) forms the starting point regarding thinking about processes (Davenport and Short 1990, 11). However, it was not until the 1990s that the term "process" came into vogue as a possible approach involving organisations' improvement and innovation (Zairi 1997). Garvin (1998) has stated that such enthusiasm for processes by organisations during the 1990s led to reducing departmental fragmentation and improved transversal coordination and communication ability.…”

Section: Processes In Organisationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An empirical study of continuous process improvement (CPI) regarding public management in Spanish municipalities

Barraza¹,

Ysa

2011

Adm. Desarro.

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An empirical study of how continuous process improvement has been used in public management by Spanish town councilsCertain Spanish city authorities updated and improved public management by adopting a continuous process improvement (CPI) approach during the late 1980s and early 1990s to enhance their public services and operating procedures. This qualitative research regarding Spanish town councils presents the findings of an exploratory study which tried to understand how CPI was applied to public management and ascertain the impact of implementing CPI on public management. It was found that CPI was being applied during evolutionary stages and improvement activities; its impact on public management in the Spanish town councils being studied here led to both positive and neutral results.Key words: Kaizen, process improvement, local government, Spain.resumen La lógica de la modernización y mejora de la gestión pública sustentada en la aplicación de la Mejora Continua de Procesos (MCP) fue adquirida por algunos ayuntamientos españoles desde finales de la década de los ochenta y principios de los noventa, todo ello, con el fin de mejorar los servicios públicos y los procesos operativos. En esta investigación cualitativa en ayuntamientos españoles se presentan los resultados encontrados de un estudio exploratorio que ha buscado comprender ¿cómo se aplica la Mejora Continua de Procesos (MCP) en la gestión pública?, y ¿cómo impacta la aplicación de la MCP en la gestión pública? Los hallazgos de la investigación nos indican, que la aplicación de la MCP se presenta en forma de etapas evolutivas y actividades de mejora, mientras que el impacto que tiene la misma en ciertas particularidades de la gestión pública de los ayuntamientos estudiados, presenta resultados positivos en algunas de ellas, y en otras, impactos neutros.Palabras clave: Kaizen, mejora de procesos, gobiernos locales, España. resumo Melhora contínua dos decursos da Administração Pública. Um estudo empírico nas Câmaras Municipais da EspanhaA lógica da modernização e melhora da Gestão Pública baseada na aplicação da Melhora Contínua de Processos (MCP), foi adquirida por algumas Câmaras Municipais espanholas desde o fim da década de 1980 e começo da década de 1990, a fim de melhorar os serviços públicos e os processos operativos. Nesta pesquisa qualitativa nas Câmaras Municipais espanholas, apresentam-se os resultados encontrados a partir de um estudo de busca cuja tentativa foi compreender as questões de como deve ser aplicada a Melhora Contínua de Processos (MPC) na Gestão Pública e como reage a Gestão Pública com a aplicação da MCP. As descobertas da pesquisa indicam que a aplicação da MCP se apresenta na forma de fases de evolução e atividades de melhora, no entanto que o impacto da mesma em certos assuntos da Gestão Pública desenvolvida pelas Câmaras Municipais estudadas, apresenta resultados positivos em algumas delas, e neutralidade em outras.

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“…In other words, a best practice prescribes the best way to treat a particular problem that can be replicated in most situations or settings (Reijers and Liman Mansar, 2005). This view promotes the universal adoption of best practices, because implementing such tried-and-tested approaches is assumed to lead to improved performance in any organisational context (Zairi, 1997). Business process design principles derived from best practices, therefore, "are universal in the sense that they are applicable within the context of any business process, regardless of the product or service delivered" (Reijers and Liman Mansar, 2005, p. 295).…”

Section: Process Design In the Bpm Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…While many authors recognise the virtues of best practices of BPM (Zairi, 1997;Hammer, 2002), a body of literature suggests that it is possible to have a mismatch between best practices and business strategy. For instance, Silvestro and Westley (2002) find that introducing a process management structure into a functionally organised enterprise can result in increased operational complexity and a duplication of functional expertise.…”

Section: Process Design In the Bpm Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Process design principles in service firms: Universal or context dependent? A literature review and new research directions

Ponsignon¹,

Smart²,

Maull³

2012

Total Quality Management & Business Excellence

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The aim of this article is to assess whether process design principles derived from best practices are universally applicable to service organisations or context dependent. This is achieved through a comprehensive review of the Business Process Management (BPM) and Operations Management (OM) literatures. Our comparison of the existing bodies of knowledge in these disciplines reveals major inconsistencies in how the topic of process design in service environments is addressed. Drawing on the more mature, contingencyoriented OM literature we challenge the BPM discipline which prescribes that process design principles derived from best practices are universally applicable irrespective of the context in which the service organisation operates. The results strongly suggest that in the business process design area one size does not fit all service organisations and that some design principles fit better under certain contextual conditions. We then use these findings to 2 develop a contingency conceptual framework and associated research propositions linking the firm's service strategy context to the use of particular business process design principles. This extends existing theory and provides a platform for future process design research in service organisations that is more closely aligned with the needs of practitioners.

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Business process management: a boundaryless approach to modern competitiveness

Cited by 341 publications

References 12 publications

Four archetypes of process improvement: a Q-methodological study

Four archetypes of process improvement: a Q-methodological study

An empirical study of continuous process improvement (CPI) regarding public management in Spanish municipalities

Process design principles in service firms: Universal or context dependent? A literature review and new research directions

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