Towards an Understanding of the Business Process Analyst: An Analysis of Competencies.
01 Jan 2012-Vol. 11, Iss: 1, pp 43-63
TL;DR: The findings show that the business analyst competencies form a foundation for the business process analyst role, and business and organisational knowledge is seen as important while technical competencies were considered the least important.
Abstract: The increase in adoption of business process management (BPM) and service oriented architecture (SOA) has created a high demand for qualified professionals with a plethora of skills. However, despite the growing amount of literature available on the topics of BPM and SOA, little research has been conducted around developing a detailed list of competencies required for SOA and BPM professionals. According to Gartner’s 2011 predictions, by 2014 there will be a growing emphasis on process-related skills and competencies to create competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the required competencies of the business process analyst. The new business process analyst role is seen as indispensable to the success of BPM and SOA projects. This qualitative research used data collected through semi-structured interviews and through subsequent thematic analysis; a business process analyst competency framework emerged. The findings show that the business analyst competencies form a foundation for the business process analyst role. Even more than the business analyst role, the business process analyst requires strong interpersonal competencies and strengths as well as both left brain (statistical) and right brain (emotional) thinking. Business and organisational knowledge is seen as important while technical competencies were considered the least important. Although this research is positioned in South Africa, where the availability of skills is a major challenge facing the establishment of the business process analyst role, the resultant framework should be useful for any information systems educators designing curriculum for this new role and for organisations hoping to employ these professionals.
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TL;DR: This model can explain inconsistent past findings regarding the return on investment in big data and provide a unique look into the potential “dark sides” of big data.
Abstract: While common wisdom suggests that big data facilitates better decisions, we posit that it may not always be the case, as big data aspects can also afford and motivate knowledge hiding. To examine this possibility, we integrate adaptive cost theory with the resource-based view of the firm. This integration suggests that the effect of big data characteristics (i.e., data variety, volume, and velocity) on firm decision quality can be explained, in part, by data analysts' perceived knowledge hiding behaviours, including evasive hiding, playing dumb, and rationalized hiding. We examined this model with survey data from 149 data analysts in firms that use big data to varying degrees. The findings show that big data characteristics have distinct effects on knowledge hiding behaviours. While data volume and velocity enhance knowledge hiding, data variety reduces it. Moreover, evasive hiding, playing dumb, and rationalized hiding have varying effects on firm decision quality. Whereas evasive hiding reduces firm decision-making quality, playing dumb does not affect it, and rationalized hiding improves it. These results are further validated with applicability checks. Ultimately, these results can explain inconsistent past findings regarding the return on investment in big data and provide a unique look into the potential “dark sides” of big data.
34 citations
18 Aug 2014
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the competencies required by business rescue practitioners (BRPs) to navigate a distressed venture and found that a BRP can demonstrate a high level of competency in sense-making, decision making and integration, achieved through collaboration as the central competency.
Abstract: Orientation: Business Rescue Practitioner (BRP) tasks are complex and involve a wide range of knowledge, tacit skills and experience not accessible to novices. Research purpose: Competencies required by business rescue practitioners (BRPs) to navigate a distressed venture were investigated. What BRPs actually ‘do’ during a rescue guided the development of a competency framework to inform future qualification guidelines for BRP education and accreditation. Motivation for the study: To investigate the research question: ‘What are the competencies that underlie the activities of a business rescue practitioner?’. Research design, approach and method: A modified ‘interview to the double’ (ITTD) process was used to elicit instructions that a BRP would give to an imaginary ‘double’. These instructions were analysed and rated for importance, transferability, knowledge requirement and skills requirement; in conclusion, these instructions were ranked and subjected to a content analysis. Main findings: Based on the main activities that were derived from the practices and praxis, one assignment and four supra (higher-level) competencies were consequent to the analysis. A BRP able to successfully navigate a distressed venture towards normal operations should demonstrate a high level of competency in sense-making, decision making and integration, achieved through collaboration as the central competency. Practical implications: Firstly, the study addresses educators’ need for a framework of competencies to guide education. Secondly, it paves the way for the Regulator to develop a qualifications framework for accreditation. Contribution : The findings gave structure to the competencies underlying the activities of a BRP to navigate a rescue. Pre-business and financial acumen appears limited without these competencies containing insight, experience, intuition, heuristics, tacit knowledge, perceptive induction and more.
21 citations
Cites background from "Towards an Understanding of the Bus..."
...This study focuses on higher-order competencies, rather than fundamental competencies (Sonteya & Seymour 2012:51), which include business knowledge, response abilities and technical skills....
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01 Jan 2017
TL;DR: Dokes et al. as discussed by the authors explored virtuous leadership strategies that small business leaders and employees use to increase business growth, including continuous communication, employee knowledge and training, the use of virtuous tenets, transference of wisdom, modeling justice, and teambuilding.
Abstract: Virtuous Leadership for Increased Business Growth by Destry R. Dokes MBA, LeTourneau University, 2007 BS, Southern University, 1991 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University May 2017 Abstract Businesses in the United States endured approximately $300 billion in annual performance losses resulting from ineffective leadership behaviors. Small business leaders’ ineffective leadership characteristics diminish performance and stifle economic growth. As primary drivers of economic wealth, small business leaders rely on effective leadership behaviors to sustain the performance of small organizations. The purpose ofBusinesses in the United States endured approximately $300 billion in annual performance losses resulting from ineffective leadership behaviors. Small business leaders’ ineffective leadership characteristics diminish performance and stifle economic growth. As primary drivers of economic wealth, small business leaders rely on effective leadership behaviors to sustain the performance of small organizations. The purpose of this case study was to explore virtuous leadership strategies that small business leaders and employees use to increase business growth. The conceptual framework for this study was the virtuous leadership theory (VLT). The sample size consisted of 3 leaders and 7 employees from a small business located in the greater Houston metropolitan area. Study participants had at least 1 year of experience working in a small business that practices virtuous leadership as outlined in the authorized representative’s organizational letter of intent. The qualitative research method was used to collect semistructured interviews and the small business’s mission and goal statement. Data analysis included collecting and coding data, identifying and congregating analogous themes, interpreting thematic inferences, and methodological triangulation for interpretation accuracy. Six themes emerged including continuous communication, employee knowledge and training, the use of virtuous tenets, transference of wisdom, modeling justice, and teambuilding. The findings from this study may contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the best practices for virtuous leadership that leaders may use to increase business growth. Small business leaders may use the results identified in this study to increase economic viability and employment through increased business growth. Virtuous Leadership for Increased Business Growth by Destry R. Dokes MBA, LeTourneau University, 2007 BS, Southern University, 1991 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University May 2017 Dedication I dedicate this submission to God for providing an opportunity for me to make a difference in my life and the lives of others and my grandparents Henry and Lenora Dokes for providing me with rich Christian values. Many thanks to my mother Fannie Dokes for her relentless demonstrable efforts and dedication to helping me develop my character and educational fortitude. I also dedicate this to my siblings James Dokes, Cheryl Dokes, Wanda Jackson-Evans, Degloria Jackson-Myles, and every person who ever believed they could not obtain their dream – keep dreaming. Thanks to Dr. Linda (Dokes) Lane for serving as a model of educational excellence and Christian values. I especially dedicate this to my wife, Janet Dokes, and my children, Giana, and Keith Dokes for their unwavering understanding, support, and inspiration – I love you. Acknowledgments I acknowledge my immediate and extended family and friends for their encouragement and assistance. I thank my chair, Dr. Yvette Ghormley, for her relentless dedication and guidance. Additionally, I acknowledge Dr. Gina Smith and Dr. William Stokes and a host of professors who provided the foundation and guidance to help me navigate the requirements to develop my research skills and accomplish my goal of becoming a doctor. I also thank some of my classmates who assisted me throughout my journey: Drs. Phat Pham, Fed Kongnso, James Alexander, and John (JMack) McHenry.
15 citations
01 Jan 2015
TL;DR: The role of a business analyst is reviewed within the context of BPM practice and a curriculum designed to cultivate skills for the emerging business process (BP) analyst is suggested.
Abstract: As organizations continue to focus on improving and managing business processes, the ability to acquire and cultivate the appropriate skilled workforce has remained a challenge. While Business Process Management (BPM) was once defined in terms of tools and technologies, it has recently emerged as a discipline encompassing a broad spectrum of organizational practices. As a result, the skill-sets for BPM endeavors of today’s organizations have gone beyond the automation of processes to encompass a wide variety of strategic, technical, and people skills that are difficult to find in today’s professionals. Many organizations have assigned the process transformation leadership to existing business analysts who find that they require additional training and education. This chapter reviews the role of a business analyst within the context of BPM practice and suggests a curriculum designed to cultivate skills for the emerging business process (BP) analyst.
15 citations
TL;DR: The paper is the first known of its kind to compile the status of literature focused on BPM training and recommend a research agenda based on such.
Abstract: Purpose There is wide acknowledgment that training people from all levels of an organization in process management ac tivities and ‘process thinking’ is a major contributor to the success or failure, and sustainability of BPM BPM training is provided in almost all BPM initiatives and involves the investment of valuable financial, human, information and other resources However, little research has focused on this area As a result, there is a lack of guidance for organizations in conducting value adding BPM training This paper aims to consolidate the current published knowledge on BPM training in the form of a descriptive literature review to; paint a picture of the existing work, identify gaps and propose a program of work for the future Design As tructured descriptive literature review was conducted to understand the current status of literature on training in the do main of BPM Of an initial search of 90 publications , 6 4 publications , published between 1994 and 2015 were filtered and reviewed based on their relevance to answer the research question : What has BPM literature mentioned of training people for BPM? This study proposes a research agenda based on this A grounded theory coding approach was employed, where NVivo 10 was used as a tool to support the analysis Findings 234 codes (representing emerging themes) were inductively identified from the data These c odes were further analysed, resulting in eight core themes pertaining to training in the BPM context Research implication s - The paper present s a vivid descriptive overview of the current status of research in BPM training, identifying gaps in the literat ure and presents a research agenda which supports a call for action Originality The paper is the first known of its kind to compile the status of literature focused on BPM training and recommend a research agenda based on such
13 citations
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"Towards an Understanding of the Bus..." refers background in this paper
...Implications for BPM Education According to Dixon and Jones (2011), the development of BPM management disciplines should be given a higher priority than technological or tool selection concerns....
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TL;DR: Although the general inductive approach is not as strong as some other analytic strategies for theory or model development, it does provide a simple, straightforward approach for deriving findings in the context of focused evaluation questions.
Abstract: A general inductive approach for analysis of qualitative evaluation data is described. The purposes for using an inductive approach are to (a) condense raw textual data into a brief, summary format; (b) establish clear links between the evaluation or research objectives and the summary findings derived from the raw data; and (c) develop a framework of the underlying structure of expe- riences or processes that are evident in the raw data. The general inductive approach provides an easily used and systematic set of procedures for analyzing qualitative data that can produce reliable and valid findings. Although the general inductive approach is not as strong as some other analytic strategies for theory or model development, it does provide a simple, straightforward approach for deriving findings in the context of focused evaluation questions. Many evaluators are likely to find using a general inductive approach less complicated than using other approaches to qualitative data analysis.
8,199 citations
"Towards an Understanding of the Bus..." refers methods in this paper
...Transcription was followed by analysis using the Thomas (2006) general inductive approach which aims to: • provide a précis of a substantial amount of raw text; • provide a relationship between such précis and the objectives of the research, with such relationship being clearly supportable in terms…...
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...Transcription was followed by analysis using the Thomas (2006) general inductive approach which aims to:...
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyze the internal stickiness of knowledge transfer and test the resulting model using canonical correlation analysis of a data set consisting of 271 observations of 122 best-practice transfers in eight companies.
Abstract: The ability to transfer best practices internally is critical to a firtn's ability to build competitive advantage through the appropriation of rents from scarce internal knowledge. Just as a firm's distinctive competencies tnight be dificult for other firms to imitate, its best prczctices could be dfficult to imitate internnlly. Yet, little systematic attention has been pcrid to such internal stickiness. The author analyzes itlterrzal stickiness of knowledge transfer crnd tests the resulting model using canonical correlation analysis of a data set consisting of 271 observations of 122 best-practice transfers in eight companies. Contrary to corzverztiorzrzl wisdom that blames primarily motivational factors, the study findings show the major barriers to internal knowledge transfer to be knowledge-related factors such as the recipient's lack oj absorptive capacity, causal anzbiguity, and an arciuous relationship between the source and the recipient. The identification and transfer of best practices cally are hindered less by confidentiality and legal is emerging as one of the most important and obstacles than external transfers, they could be widespread practical management issues of the faster and initially less complicated, all other latter half of the 1990s. Armed with meaningful, things being equal. For those reasons, in an era detailed performance data, firms that use fact- when continuous organizational learning and based management methods such as TQM, bench- relentless performance improvement are needed to marking, and process reengineering can regularly remain competitive, companies must increasingly compare the performance of their units along resort to the internal transfer of capabilitie~.~ operational dimensions. Sparse but unequivocal Yet, experience shows that transferring capaevidence suggests that such comparisons often bilities within a firm is far from easy. General reveal surprising performance differences between Motors had great difficulty in transferring manuunits, indicating a need to improve knowledge facturing practices between divisions (Kerwin and utilization within the firm (e.g., Chew, Bresnahan, Woodruff, 1992: 74) and IBM had limited suc
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a technique for conducting thematic analysis of qualitative material, presenting a step-by-step guide of the analytic process, with the aid of an empirical example.
Abstract: The growth in qualitative research is a well-noted and welcomed fact within the social sciences; however, there is a regrettable lack of tools available for the analysis of qualitative material. There is a need for greater disclosure in qualitative analysis, and for more sophisticated tools to facilitate such analyses. This article details a technique for conducting thematic analysis of qualitative material, presenting a step-by-step guide of the analytic process, with the aid of an empirical example. The analytic method presented employs established, well-known techniques; the article proposes that thematic analyses can be usefully aided by and presented as thematic networks. Thematic networks are web-like illustrations that summarize the main themes constituting a piece of text. The thematic networks technique is a robust and highly sensitive tool for the systematization and presentation of qualitative analyses.
4,606 citations
"Towards an Understanding of the Bus..." refers methods in this paper
...The Attride-Stirling (2001) thematic networks approach was used to group the emergent themes....
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TL;DR: The paper aims to provide a useful reference point for researchers who wish to work in the interpretive tradition, and more generally to encourage careful work on the conceptualisation and execution of case studies in the information systems field.
Abstract: There has been an increase in recent years in the number of in-depth case studies which focus on human actions and interpretations surrounding the development and use of computer-based information systems (IS). This paper addresses philosophical and theoretical issues concerning the nature of such interpretive case studies, and methodological issues on the conduct and reporting of this type of research. The paper aims to provide a useful reference point for researchers who wish to work in the interpretive tradition, and more generally to encourage careful work on the conceptualisation and execution of case studies in the information systems field.
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"Towards an Understanding of the Bus..." refers background in this paper
...However, it can also suppress possible new issues and opportunities of exploration; therefore, it is desirable to preserve a considerable amount of openness to the data and a willingness to change initial bias towards the subject (Walsham, 1995)....
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