THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF PROCESS MANAGEMENT IN SMEs

Abstract

Literature indicates a greater use of process management in large companies than in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are a major contributor to the global economy, and just like large companies, SMEs face challenges such as a need to respond promptly and effectively to their business environment, despite having limited resources.Practitioners and researchers within process management refer to a trade-off between the operative support that process management provides and the strategic ability of organisations to be flexible in response to their environment and customer requests. The strategic role of process management has not been highlighted in depth in the literature. Hence, the use of process management and its strategic role in SMEs is a research gap which needs to be investigated. This research should include approaches to process management that support the fulfilment of strategic goals without compromising flexibility.The purpose of this dissertation is to enhance the understanding of the strategic role of process management in SMEs. To address this purpose, two research questions were designed. The first research question explores how the fundamentals of process management contribute to the understanding of the strategic role of process management. The second research question explores and analyses the conditions of SMEs and suggests how process management could be adapted to be used in SMEs.This dissertation includes a longitudinal study, with an action research approach, conducted at two companies. This approach provided a deep understanding of the companies and a strong connection between research and managerial usefulness.