Showing papers on "Process modeling published in 2002"
TL;DR: This book is most obviously relevant to practitioners who already have some experience of multiagency facilitation, but might also serve as an introduction to working in this arena, if carefully supplemented with further reading and exploration of the topics it covers.
Abstract: (2002). Business Dynamics—Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World. Journal of the Operational Research Society: Vol. 53, No. 4, pp. 472-473.
2,977 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Magretta as mentioned in this paper argues that a good business model is essential to every successful organization, whether it's a new venture or an established player, and to help managers apply the concept successfully, she defines what a business model are and how it complements a smart competitive strategy.
Abstract: "Business model" was one of the great buzz-words of the Internet boom. A company didn't need a strategy, a special competence, or even any customers--all it needed was a Web-based business model that promised wild profits in some distant, ill-defined future. Many people--investors, entrepreneurs, and executives alike--fell for the fantasy and got burned. And as the inevitable counterreaction played out, the concept of the business model fell out of fashion nearly as quickly as the .com appendage itself. That's a shame. As Joan Magretta explains, a good business model remains essential to every successful organization, whether it's a new venture or an established player. To help managers apply the concept successfully, she defines what a business model is and how it complements a smart competitive strategy. Business models are, at heart, stories that explain how enterprises work. Like a good story, a robust business model contains precisely delineated characters, plausible motivations, and a plot that turns on an insight about value. It answers certain questions: Who is the customer? How do we make money? What underlying economic logic explains how we can deliver value to customers at an appropriate cost? Every viable organization is built on a sound business model, but a business model isn't a strategy, even though many people use the terms interchangeably. Business models describe, as a system, how the pieces of a business fit together. But they don't factor in one critical dimension of performance: competition. That's the job of strategy. Illustrated with examples from companies like American Express, EuroDisney, WalMart, and Dell Computer, this article clarifies the concepts of business models and strategy, which are fundamental to every company's performance.
2,863 citations
TL;DR: A framework to motivate research that addresses the following fundamental question: how can the authors model the world to better facilitate their developing, implementing, using, and maintaining more valuable information systems?
Abstract: Within the information systems field, the task of conceptual modeling involves building a representation of selected phenomena in some domain. High-quality conceptual modeling work is important because it facilitates early detection and correction of system development errors. It also plays an increasingly important role in activities like business process reengineering and documentation of best-practice data and process models in enterprise resource planning systems. Yet little research has been undertaken on many aspects of conceptual modeling. In this paper, we propose a framework to motivate research that addresses the following fundamental question:How can we model the world to better facilitate our developing, implementing, using, and maintaining more valuable information systems? The framework comprises four elements: conceptual-modeling grammars, conceptual-modeling methods, conceptual-modeling scripts, and conceptual-modeling contexts. We provide examples of the types of research that have already been undertaken on each element and illustrate research opportunities that exist.
811 citations
Proceedings Article•
02 Sep 2002
TL;DR: A framework for metamodelling platforms is presented and some answers are given to the research issues on how to design, manage, distribute and use such meetamodels on a syntactic as well as on a semantic level and how to integrate, run and maintain a metamadelling platform in a corporation's environment are given.
Abstract: The elements of an enterprise are managed more and more model-based. The state-of-the-art in the area of modelling of organisations is based on fixed metamodels. Product models are created by using product modelling environments, process models are created in business process modelling tools and organisational models are realised in personnel management tools. Web service models link these business models to information technology. They are created by using standardised languages and common ontologies. Information technology is modelled in tools supporting notions such as workflow or object-orientation. The models of the company's strategy, goals and the appropriate measurements are described and monitored by using tools supporting management concepts such as Balanced Scorecard.Major requirements to an enterprise modelling platform are flexibility and adaptability. These are fulfilled by environments providing flexible metamodelling capabilities. The main characteristic of such environments is that the formalism of modelling - the metamodel - can be freely defined. This raises research issues on how to design, manage, distribute and use such metamodels on a syntactic as well as on a semantic level and how to integrate, run and maintain a metamodelling platform in a corporation's environment.Platforms based on metamodelling concepts should support the following topics: 1. Engineering the business models & their web services 2. Designing and realizing the corresponding information technology 3. Evaluating the used corporation resources and assets.This paper presents a framework for metamodelling platforms and gives some answers to the research issues stated above. As part of the framework flexible metamodel integration mechanisms, using meta-metamodels (meta2-models) and semantical mapping, are discussed. Additionally, a system architecture and the building blocks of a corporate metamodelling platform are described. Finally, best practices from three EU funded projects - REFINE, ADVISOR, and PROMOTE - all realised with industrial partners, are presented.
377 citations
Book•
01 Dec 2002
TL;DR: This book discusses the development of ERP-Driven Redesign Software Development and the role of modeling organizations and processes in this development.
Abstract: Foreword by Geary Rummler. Preface. Introduction. Business Process Change. Part I: Process Management: Strategy, Value Chains, and Competitive Advantage Process Architecture and Organizational Alignment. Part II: Modeling Organizations And Processes: Modeling Organizations Modeling Processes Analyzing Activities. Part III: Managing And Improving Business Processes: Managing and Measuring Business Processes Managing Business Processes Process Improvement with Six Sigma. Part IV: Business Process Redesign: A Business Process Redesign Methodology Process Redesign Patterns. Part V: Business Process Automation: Workflow and XML Business Process Languages ERP-Driven Redesign Software Development. Part VI: The E-Business Challenge: E-Business: Portals and Customer-Oriented Applications Supplier and Internally Oriented E-Business Applications. VII: Putting It All Together: The Ergonomic Systems Case Study Software Tools for Business Process Development Conclusions and Recommendations. Glossary. Notes and References. Bibliography. Index.
289 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors summarise the various elements and approaches in process monitoring during grinding and present an overview of the strategies and techniques involved in the interpretation of the measured data and subsequent control action initiated in order to close the process control loop.
210 citations
TL;DR: A generic structure is proposed for modeling business processes in order to capture essential concepts of business process and represent them structurally and lowers the barriers between process representation and model analysis by embedding verification and validation with the model.
Abstract: Among different BPR strategies and methodologies, one common feature is to capture existing processes and represent new processes adequately. Business process modeling plays a crucial role on such effort. This paper proposes a generic structure for modeling business processes in order to capture essential concepts of business process and represent them structurally. The generic structure possesses two main features suitable for business process modeling: one is that it can represent a business process in various concerns and multiple layers of abstraction, and the other is that it lowers the barriers between process representation and model analysis by embedding verification and validation with the model. The generic modeling method is illustrated by an order fulfillment process in supply chain networks.
193 citations
163 citations
TL;DR: Three practitioner theories-in-use of business process redesign derived from the business process reengineering (BPR) literature are tested using a positivist case study of a U.S. company that undertook BPR.
Abstract: We test three practitioner theories-in-use of business process redesign derived from the business process reengineering (BPR) literature using a positivist case study of a U.S. company that undertook BPR. The evidence refutes the domi
153 citations
24 Jun 2002
TL;DR: Some of the scientific challenges in business process management are addressed and in the spirit of Hilbert's problems, 10 interesting problems for people working on Petri-net theory are posed.
Abstract: Information technology has changed business processes within and between enterprises. More and more work processes are being conducted under the supervision of information systems that are driven by process models. Examples are workflow management systems such as Staffware, enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP and Baan, but also include many domain specific systems. It is hard to imagine enterprise information systems that are unaware of the processes taking place. Although the topic of business process management using information technology has been addressed by consultants and software developers in depth, a more fundamental approach has been missing. Only since the nineties, researchers started to work on the foundations of business process management systems. This paper addresses some of the scientific challenges in business process management. In the spirit of Hilbert's problems, 10 interesting problems for people working on Petri-net theory are posed.
131 citations
TL;DR: The article presents some findings and experience about the power of enterprise modelling as experienced in the implementation of an industrial project to improve the process of new product development and business process modelling is demonstrated to be a powerful tool and approach to knowledge management.
19 May 2002
TL;DR: The article proposes a formalization of the semantics of the UML subset and presents the translation of UML process models into code, which can be enacted in the OPSS process-centered environment.
Abstract: In the recent past, a relevant effort has been devoted to the definition of process modeling languages (PMLs). The resulting languages and environments -although technically successful-did not receive much attention from industry. On the contrary, researchers and practitioners have recently started experimenting with the usage of UML as a PML. Being so popular and widely used, UML has an important competitive advantage compared to any specialized PML. However, it has also a main limitation. While most PMLs are executable by some process engine, UML was conceived as a non-executable, semi-formal language. The work described here aims at assessing the possibility of employing a subset of UML as an executable PML. The article proposes a formalization of the semantics of the UML subset and presents the translation of UML process models into code, which can be enacted in the OPSS process-centered environment. The paper also presents a case study to validate the approach. We expect that process modeling by means of UML is easier and available to a larger community of software process managers. Moreover, process enactment makes the process more efficient, reliable, predictable and controllable, as widely shown by previous research.
TL;DR: The results of the study suggested that activity-based costing and process modeling provide a good starting point in heading toward more cost-conscious design.
TL;DR: This work presents a formal framework for enterprise and business process modelling and outlines the basic steps of a methodology that allows business analysts to produce detailed, formal specifications of business processes from high-level enterprise objectives.
Dissertation•
01 Jan 2002
TL;DR: This thesis describes basic models for thermo-fluid systems and the implementation of the models using a flexible object- oriented structure in the ThermoFluid library, an open standard of an object-oriented modeling language for heterogeneous, multi-domain dynamic systems.
Abstract: This thesis describes basic models for thermo-fluid systems and the implementation of the models using a flexible object-oriented structure in the ThermoFluid library Model libraries provide an excellent way to package engineering knowledge of systems to be reused by non-experts Many commercial simulation packages provide good model libraries, but they are usually domain specific and closed Modelica(TM) is an open standard of an object-oriented modeling language for heterogeneous, multi-domain dynamic systems Modelica combines the expressive power of equation based modeling with advanced object-oriented structuring features A unique feature of Modelica are class parameters which allow a high-level parameterization of physical phenomena
The models are based on first principles Control volumes contain the thermodynamic balance equations in lumped or one-dimensional discretized form The library is built to be flexible: fluid property models in the control volume can be exchanged, single- or multi-component fluids are supported and the momentum balance submodel can be static or dynamic Chemical reactions can be added to the model separately from other phenomena Thermodynamic Jacobians are used to transform the dynamic equations into an efficient form Low order moving boundary models for two phase flows are another result of the thesis They make use of a novel approach for approximating the mean void fraction in the two phase region
The experiences from designing an object-oriented, reusable model library are summarized using design patterns Design patterns are an attempt to describe "good practice" in modeling in a semi-formal way
The library has been used successfully for a broad range of industrial applications, among others modeling of micro gas turbine systems, carbon-dioxide based refrigeration systems, fuel cells, power plants and steam networks The applications are briefly described in the thesis
TL;DR: Simulation results showed that the parallel hybrid modeling approach achieved much more accurate predictions with good extrapolation properties as compared with the other modeling approaches even in the case of process upset caused by, for example, shock loading of toxic compounds.
Abstract: In recent years, hybrid neural network approaches, which combine mechanistic and neural network models, have received considerable attention. These approaches are potentially very efficient for obtaining more accurate predictions of process dynamics by combining mechanistic and neural network models in such a way that the neural network model properly accounts for unknown and nonlinear parts of the mechanistic model. In this work, a full-scale coke-plant wastewater treatment process was chosen as a model system. Initially, a process data analysis was performed on the actual operational data by using principal component analysis. Next, a simplified mechanistic model and a neural network model were developed based on the specific process knowledge and the operational data of the coke-plant wastewater treatment process, respectively. Finally, the neural network was incorporated into the mechanistic model in both parallel and serial configurations. Simulation results showed that the parallel hybrid modeling approach achieved much more accurate predictions with good extrapolation properties as compared with the other modeling approaches even in the case of process upset caused by, for example, shock loading of toxic compounds. These results indicate that the parallel hybrid neural modeling approach is a useful tool for accurate and cost-effective modeling of biochemical processes, in the absence of other reasonably accurate process models.
Patent•
22 Oct 2002
TL;DR: In this paper, a method for providing closed-loop analysis of a business process includes using modeling objects to extend a modeling language to obtain a representation language, which is used to obtain at least one model of the process.
Abstract: A method for providing closed-loop analysis of a business process includes using modeling objects to extend a modeling language to obtain a representation language. The representation language is used to obtain at least one model of the process. The model is implemented using at least one of simulation, project management analysis, workflow analysis and computer-aided software engineering. The method allows a variety of COTS products to be integrated into a single tool for process modeling and closed-loop analysis of business processes.
27 May 2002
TL;DR: A framework to solve the problem of understanding and comparing process modelling languages with a general process meta-model with a table, an analysis of the event concept, and a classification of concepts according to the interrogative pronouns is suggested.
Abstract: The increasing interest in process engineering and application integration has resulted in the appearance of various new process modelling languages. Understanding and comparing such languages has therefore become a major problem in information systems research and development. We suggest a framework to solve this problem involving several instruments: a general process meta-model with a table, an analysis of the event concept, and a classification of concepts according to the interrogative pronouns: what, how, why, who, when, and where. This framework can be used for several purposes, such as translating between languages or verifying that relevant organisational aspects have been captured. To validate the framework, three different process modelling languages have been compared: Business Modelling Language (BML), Event-driven Process Chains (EPC) and UML State Diagrams.
TL;DR: A process coordination framework for Web services and the building blocks required for e-business automation are outlined, which helps in understanding the roles of various standards and in identifying overlaps, gaps, and opportunities for convergence.
Abstract: The authors propose a process coordination framework for Web services and outline the building blocks required for e-business automation. Their framework helps in understanding the roles of various standards and in identifying overlaps, gaps, and opportunities for convergence.
01 Jan 2002
TL;DR: A dynamic workflow model and a dynamic workflow management system for modeling and controlling the execution of inter-organizational business processes are described.
Abstract: In the competitive global marketplace, business organizations often need to team up and operate as a virtual enterprise to achieve common business goals. Since the business environment of a virtual enterprise is highly dynamic, it is necessary to develop a workflow technology that is capable of handling dynamic workflows across enterprise boundaries. The paper describes a dynamic workflow model and a dynamic workflow management system for modeling and controlling the execution of inter-organizational business processes. The model extends the underlying model of WfMC's WPDL by adding connectors, events, triggers and rules as its modeling constructs, encapsulating activity definitions, and allowing e-service requests as a part of the activity specification. The workflow management system makes use of an event and rule server to trigger business rules during the enactment of workflow processes to enforce business constraints and policies and/or to modify the process model at run-time. It also provides a mechanism to dynamically bind e-service requests to e-services.
IBM1
TL;DR: This paper begins from a business process model, which emphasizes the underlying structural process pattern and its associated requirements, and maps this model into a corresponding IT model based on nondeterministic automata with state variables, which is then mapped into a pattern-based modeling and mapping process.
Abstract: Today's business applications and their underlying process models are becoming more and more complicated, making the implementation of these processes an increasingly challenging task. On the one hand, tools and methods exist to describe the business processes. On the other hand, different tools and method exist to describe the IT artifacts implementing them. But a significant gap exists between the two. To overcome this gap, new methodologies are sought. In this paper we discuss a pattern-based modeling and mapping process. Starting from a business process model, which emphasizes the underlying structural process pattern and its associated requirements, we map this model into a corresponding IT model based on nondeterministic automata with state variables. Model checking techniques are used to automatically verify elementary requirements on a process such as the termination and reachability of states. Using an example involving coupled, repetitive activities we discuss the advantages of an iterative process of correcting and refining a model based on insights gained in the interleaved verification steps.
01 Mar 2002
TL;DR: This paper deals with how to represent and manage B2B business processes using UML-compliant diagrams and demonstrates the usefulness of conceptually modeling business processes by prototyping a business process editor tool called ebDesigner.
Abstract: In order to support dynamic setup of business processes among independent organizations, a formal standard schema for describing the business processes is basically required. The ebXML framework provides such a specification schema called BPSS (Business Process Specification Schema) which is available in two stand-alone representations: a UML version, and an XML version. The former, however, is not intended for the direct creation of business process specifications, but for defining specification elements and their relationships required for creating an ebXML-compliant business process specification. For this reason, it is very important to support conceptual modeling that is well organized and directly matched with major modeling concepts. This paper deals with how to represent and manage B2B business processes using UML-compliant diagrams. The major challenge is to organize UML diagrams in a natural way that is well suited with the business process meta-model and then to transform the diagrams into an XML version. This paper demonstrates the usefulness of conceptually modeling business processes by prototyping a business process editor tool called ebDesigner.
07 Jul 2002
TL;DR: This paper uses the business contract specification language XLBC to formally link the Component Definition Language (CDL) specification of business object-based workflow systems, and presents contracts that encapsulate (formal) commitments laid down as a set of obligations to coordinate and control the interaction between business workflows.
Abstract: Enterprises are lining up into virtual enterprises to meet the ever-increasing customer's demands in a more flexible and effective way than before. Hence, the business processes as well as supporting workflow systems need to be tightly embedded into streamlined, virtual value chains that can transcend organizational boundaries. It is generally recognized that the combination of workflow with business-object component technology provides the required solution. However, today's widespread business workflow modeling techniques suffer from an object bias, ignoring the most essential coordination vehicle in the enterprise: communication, and the resulting commitments. In this paper, we present contracts that encapsulate (formal) commitments laid down as a set of obligations to coordinate and control the interaction between business workflows. We use the business contract specification language XLBC to formally link the Component Definition Language (CDL) specification of business object-based workflow systems. XLBC is an extension of the Formal Language for Business Communication (FLBC) and a framework for the semantics of XLBC transactions is described. Finally, we indicate a feasible implementation architecture on the basis of an emerging internet-enabled business process architecture, ebXML and Trading Partner Agreements (TPAs).
24 Nov 2002
TL;DR: In this paper, a logistic regression model is used to discover the direct connections between events of a realistic not complete workflow log with noise, which contains information about the process as it is actually being executed.
Abstract: Workflow management technology requires the existence of explicit process models, i.e. a completely specified workflow design needs to be developed in order to enact a given workflow process. Such a workflow design is time consuming and often subjective and incomplete. We propose a learning method that uses the workflow log, which contains information about the process as it is actually being executed. In our method we will use a logistic regression model to discover the direct connections between events of a realistic not complete workflow log with noise. Experimental results are used to show the usefulness and limitations of the presented method.
Patent•
21 Jun 2002TL;DR: In this paper, a graphical user interface enables users to apply data warehousing and data mining techniques to business process execution data and to visualize process data along multiple configurable dimensions and at different configurable levels of granularity.
Abstract: Systems and methods of investigating business processes are described. These systems and methods support real-time monitoring, analysis, management, and optimization of business processes. A graphical user interface enables users to apply data warehousing and data mining techniques to business process execution data and to visualize process execution data along multiple configurable dimensions and at different configurable levels of granularity.
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of the recent applications of the CFX-4 code to the power generation and combustion industries is presented, with a focus on coal-fired low-NOx burner design, furnace optimization, over-fire air, gas reburn, and laminar flames.
TL;DR: The MCMP model application reinforces the strategic planning of the organization's business process infrastructure development and other production and operations planning settings and improves the model applicability.
Book•
01 Jul 2002
TL;DR: Table of Content.- ARIS: From the Vision to Practical Process Control.- The ARIS Toolset.
Abstract: Table of Content.- ARIS: From the Vision to Practical Process Control.- The ARIS Toolset.- Business Process Management: A Core Task for any Company Organization.- Using SCOR and Other Reference Models for E-Business Process Networks.- Strategy and Processes. Two in One Project at ZEC Bydgoszcz SA.- Using ARIS to Manage SAP Interoperability.- Business Process Improvement and Software Selection Using ARIS at a Mid-Market Manufacturing Company.- Business Process Management: Combining Quality and Performance Improvement.- Process Design and Implementation with ARIS.- Using BPR Tools in Business Process Education.- Process Modelling and Simulation in the Media Industry: The Television New Zealand Example.- Business Process Analysis and Design for Performance Improvement in Utilities Companies.- Design of a Process Model with ARIS Toolset for a Telecommunication Company.- ISO 9001 Certification of the Selection and Recruitment Department of Air France (DP.GS).- ARIS in BT.- Appendix: The Authors.
TL;DR: The ‘grey-box’ model which combines partial knowledge of the process, with a neural network to capture the remaining dynamics, is a promising modelling tool for nonlinear processes and maximizes the use of a priori process knowledge.
01 Dec 2002
TL;DR: By modeling the execution of an activity as an interval, this paper has developed an algorithm that derives the directed graph in a faster, more accurate manner and shows that the proposed algorithm outperforms the existing ones in terms of efficiency and quality.
Abstract: A thorough understanding of the way in which existing business processes currently practice is essential from the perspectives of both process reengineering and workflow management. In this paper, we present a framework and algorithms that derive the underlying process model from past executions. The process model employs a directed graph for representing the control dependencies among activities and associates a Boolean function on each edge to indicate the condition under which the edge is to be enabled. By modeling the execution of an activity as an interval, we have developed an algorithm that derives the directed graph in a faster, more accurate manner. This algorithm is further enhanced with a noise handling mechanism to tolerate noise, which frequently occur in the real world. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the existing ones in terms of efficiency and quality.