Chapter 8 Business Pr

Chapter 8: Business Processes
Upon successful completion of this chapter,
you will be able to:
• Define the term business process;
• Understand the tools of
documentation of business
processes;
• Identify the different systems

needed to support business
processes in an organization;
• Explain the value of an enterprise
resource planning (ERP) system;
• Explain how business process
management and business process
reengineering work; and
• Understand how information
technology combined with
business processes can bring an
organization competitive
advantage.
Introduction
The fourth component of information systems is process. But
what
is a process and how does it tie into information systems? And
in
what
Information Systems for Business and Beyond (2019) pg. 161

ways do processes have a role in business? This chapter looks to
answer those questions and also describe how business
processes
can be used for strategic advantage.
What Is a Business Process?
We have all heard the term process before, but what exactly
does it mean? A process is a series of tasks that are completed
in
order to accomplish a goal. A business process, therefore, is a
process that is focused on achieving a goal for a business.
Processes are something that businesses go through every day in
order to accomplish their mission. The better their processes,
the
more effective the business. Some businesses see their
processes
as a strategy for achieving competitive advantage. A process
that
achieves its goal in a unique way can set a company apart. A
process that eliminates costs can allow a company to lower its
prices (or retain more profit). If you have worked in a business
setting, you have participated in a business process. Anything
from a simple process for making a sandwich at Subway to
building a space shuttle utilizes one or more business processes.
In the context of information systems, a business process is a
set
of business activities performed by human actors and/or the

information system to accomplish a specific outcome.
Documenting a Process
Every day each of us will perform many processes without
even thinking about them such as getting ready for work, using
an ATM, texting a friend, etc. As processes grow more complex,
documenting becomes necessary. It is essential for businesses to
do this because it allows them to ensure control over how
activities are undertaken in their organization. It also allows for

standardization. For example, McDonald’s has the same process
for
building a Big Mac in all of its restaurants. The simplest way to
document a process is to just create a list. The list shows each
step
in the process. Each step can be checked off upon completion. A
simple process such as how to create an account on Gmail might
look like this:
1. Go to gmail.com.
2. Click “Create account.”
3. Enter your contact information in the “Create your Google
Account” form.
4. Choose your username and password.
5. Agree to User Agreement and Privacy Policy by clicking on
“Submit.”
For processes that are not so straightforward, documenting all
of
the steps as a checklist may not be sufficient. For example, here
is the process for determining if an article for a term needs to
be
added to Wikipedia:
1. Search Wikipedia to determine if the term already exists.
2. If the term is found, then an article is already written, so you
must think of another term. Go to step 1.
3. If the term is not found, then look to see if there is a related
term.

4. If there is a related term, then create a redirect.
5. If there is not a related term, then create a new articl e.
This procedure is relatively simple. In fact, it has the same
number of steps as the previous example, but because it has
some
decision points, it is more difficult to track as a simple list. In
these cases, it may make more sense to use a diagram to
document the process.
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Diagram of an example business process (click to enlarge)

Business Process Modeling
Notation
A diagramming tool for documentation of business process is a
formalized visual language that provides systems analysts with
the
ability to describe the business processes unambiguously, to
visualize the business processes for systematic understanding,
and to communicate the business process for business process
management. Natural languages (e.g., English) are incapable to
explain complex business processes. Diagrams have been used
as tools for business process modeling in the information
systems
field. There have been many types of business process
diagramming tools, and each of them has its own style and
syntax
to serve its particular purpose. The most commonly used
business process diagramming tools are Business Process
Modeling Notation (BPMN), Data Flow Diagram (DFD), and the
Unified Modeling Language (UML).
BPMN is an extension of the traditional flowchart method by
adding more diagramming elements for descriptions of business

process. The objective of BPMN is to support business process
documentation by providing intuitive notations for business
rules.
The flowchart style diagrams in BPMN can provide detailed
specifications business processes from start to end. However,
BPMN is short of the ability of system decomposition for large
information systems. DFD has served as a foundation of many
other tools of documentation of business process. The central
concept of DFD is a top-down approach to understanding a
system. The top-down approach is consistent with the system
concept that views a system in a holistic manner and concerns
an
understanding of a system by examining the components and
their interactions within the system. More importantly, whil e
describing a business process by using DFD, the data stores
used
in the process and generated data flows in the process are also
defined. We will provide an example of DFD in the Sidebar
section of this chapter to illustrate the integration of data a nd
business tasks in documenting a business process.
The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a general-purpose
modeling tool in the field of software engineering for
constructing
all types of computerized systems. UML includes a set of

various
types of diagrams with different subjects of modeling and
diversified graphics styles. The diversified diagrams in UML
can
provide detailed specifications for software engineering in many
perspectives for construction of information systems, but could
be
too complicated for documenting business processes from the
perspective of business process management.
Managing Business Process Documentation
As organizations begin to document their processes, it becomes
an
administrative responsibility to keep track of them. As
processes
change and improve, it is important to know which processes
are
the most recent. It is also important to manage the process so
that it
can be easily updated. The requirement to manage process
documentation has been one of the driving forces behind the
creation of the document management system. A document

management system stores and tracks documents and supports
the
following functions.
• Versions and timestamps. The document management
system will keep multiple versions of documents. The most
recent version of a document is easy to identify and will be
considered the default.
• Approvals and workflows. When a process needs to be
changed, the system will manage both access to the
documents for editing and the routing of the document for
approval.
• Communication. When a process changes, those who
implement the process need to be made aware of the
changes. The document management system will notify the
appropriate people when a change to a document has been
approved.
Of course, document management systems are not only used for
managing business process documentation. Many other types of
documents are managed in these systems, such as legal
documents or design documents.
ERP Systems
An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is software with

a
centralized database that can be used to run an entire company.
Here
are some of the main components of an ERP system.
Computer program. The system is a computer program, which
means that it has been developed with specific logic and rules
behind it. It is customized and installed to work specifically for
an
individual organization.
An ERP System (click to enlarge)

• Centralized database.
All data in an ERP
system is stored in a
single, central database.
Centralization is key to
the success of an ERP. Data
entered in one part of the
company can be immediately
available to other parts of the company.
• Used to run an entire company. An ERP can be used to
manage an entire organization’s operations. Companies
can purchase modules for an ERP that represent different
functions within the organization such as finance,
manufacturing, and sales. Some companies choose to
purchase many modules, others choose a subset of the
modules.
An ERP system not only centralizes an organization’s data, but
the processes it enforces are the processes the organization has
adopted. When an ERP vendor designs a module, it has to
implement the rules for the associated business processes. Best
practices can be built into the ERP – a major selling point for
ERP. In other words, when an organization implements an ERP,
it also gets improved best practices as part of the deal.
For many organizations the implementation of an ERP system is
an
excellent opportunity to improve their business practices and
upgrade their software at the same time. But for others an ERP
brings a challenge. Is the process embedded in the ERP really
better
than the process they are currently utilizing? And if they
implement
this ERP and it happens to be the same one that all of their
competitors have, will they simply become more like them,

making
it much more difficult to differentiate themselves? A large
organization may have one version of the ERP, then acquire a
subsidiary which has a more recent version. Imagine the
challenge
of requiring the subsidiary to change back to the earlier version.
One of the criticisms of ERP systems has been that they
commoditize business processes, driving all businesses to use
the
same processes and thereby lose their uniqueness. The good
news is that ERP systems also have the capability to be
configured with custom processes. For organizations that want
to continue using their own processes or even design new ones,
ERP systems offer customization so the ERP is unique to the
organization.

Registered Trademark of SAP
There is a drawback to customizing an ERP system. Namely,
organizations have to maintain the changes themselves.
Whenever an update to the ERP system comes out, any
organization that has created a custom process will be required
to add that change to their new ERP version. This requires
someone to maintain a listing of these changes as well as re-
testing the system every time an upgrade is made. Organizations
will have to wrestle with this decision. When should they go
ahead and accept the best-practice processes built into the ERP
system and when should they spend the resources to develop
their own processes?
Some of the best-known ERP vendors are SAP, Microsoft, and
Oracle.
Business Process Management
Organizations that are serious about improving their business

processes will also create structures to manage those processes.
Business process management (BPM) can be thought of as an
intentional effort to plan, document, implement, and distribute
an
organization’s business processes with the support of
information
technology.
BPM is more than just automating some simple steps. While
automation can make a business more efficient, it cannot be
used
to provide a competitive advantage. BPM, on the other hand,
can
be an integral part of creating that advantage.
Not all of an organization’s processes should be managed this
way.
An organization should look for processes that are essential to
the
functioning of the business and those that may be used to bring
a
competitive advantage. The best processes to look at are those
that
include employees from multiple departments, those that require
decision-making that cannot be easily automated, and processes
that
change based on circumstances. Here is an example.

Suppose a large clothing retailer is looking to gain a
competitive
advantage through superior customer service. A task force is
created to develop a state-of-the-art returns policy that allows
customers to return any article of clothing, no questions asked.
The
organization also decides that, in order to protect the
competitive
advantage that this returns policy will bring, they will develop
their
own customization to their ERP system to implement this
returns
policy. In preparation for the rollout of the system, all customer
service employees are trained, showing how to use the new
system
and specifically how to process returns. Once the updated
returns
process is implemented, the organization will be able to
measure
several key indicators about returns that will allow them to
adjust
the policy as needed. For example, if it is determined that many
women are returning their high-end dresses after wearing them
once, they could implement a change to the process that limits
the
return period to 14 days from the original purchase date. As
changes
to the returns policy are made, the changes are rolled out via
internal
communications and updates to the returns processing on the
system are made.
If done properly, business process management will provide
several

key benefits to an organization, which can be used to contribute
to
competitive advantage. These benefits include:
• Empowering employees. When a business process is
designed correctly and supported with information
technology, employees will be able to implement it on their
own authority. In the returns policy example, an employee
would be able to accept returns made before fourteen days or
use the system to make determinations on what returns would
be allowed after fourteen days.

• Built-in reporting. By building measurement into the
programming, the organization can stay current on key
metrics regarding their processes. In this example, these can
be used to improve the returns process and also, ideally, to
reduce returns.
• Enforcing best practices. As an organization implements
processes supported by information systems, it can work to
implement the best practices for that class of business process.
In this example, the organization may want to require that all
customers returning a product without a receipt show a legal
ID. This requirement can be built into the system so that the
return will not be processed unless a valid ID number is
entered.
• Enforcing consistency. By creating a process and enforcing it
with information technology, it is possible to create
consistency across the entire organization. In this example, all
stores in the retail chain can enforce the same returns policy.
If the returns policy changes, the change can be instantly
enforced across the entire chain.
Business Process Re-engineering
As organizations look to manage their processes to gain a
competitive advantage, it is also important to understand that

existing ways of doing things may not be the most effective or
efficient. A process developed in the 1950s is not going to be
better
just because it is now supported by technology.
In 1990 Michael Hammer published an article in the Harvard
Business Review entitled “Reengineering Work: Don’t
Automate,
Obliterate.” This article suggested that simply automating a
bad
process does not make it better. Instead, companies should
“blow
up” their existing processes and develop new processes that take
advantage of the new technologies and concepts. He states in
the
introduction to the article:
Many of our job designs, work flows, control mechanisms, and
organizational structures came of age in a different competitive
environment and before the advent of the computer. They are
geared towards greater efficiency and control. Yet the

watchwords
of the new decade are innovation and speed, service, and
quality.
It is time to stop paving the cow paths. Instead of embedding
outdated processes in silicon and software, we should obliterate
them and start over. We should “re- engineer” our businesses:
use
the power of modern information technology to radically
redesign
our business processes in order to achieve dramatic
improvements in their performance.1
Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) is not just taking an
existing process and automating it. BPR is fully understanding
the goals of a process and then dramatically redesigning it from
the ground up to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity
and quality. But this is easier said than done. Most people think
in terms of how to do small, local improvements to a process.
Complete redesign requires thinking on a larger scale. Hammer
provides some guidelines for how to go about doing business
process re-engineering:
• Organize around outcomes, not tasks. This simply means
design the process so that, if possible, one person performs all

the steps. Instead of passing the task on to numerous people,
one person does the entire process, resulting in greater speed
and customer responsiveness.
• Have those who use the outcomes of the process perform
the process. With the use of information technology many
simple tasks are now automated so the person who needs the
outcome should be empowered to perform it. Hammer
provides the following example. Instead of having every
department in the company use a purchasing department to
order supplies, have the supplies ordered directly by those
who need the supplies using an information system.
• Merge information processing work into the real work
that produces the information. When one part of the
company creates information, such as sales information or
payment information, it should be processed by that same
department. There is no need for one part of the company to
process information created in another part of the company.
• Treat geographically dispersed resources as though they

were centralized. With the communications technologies
available today, it becomes easier than ever to focus on physical
location. A multinational organization does not need separate
support departments (such as IT, purchasing, etc.) for each
location anymore.
• Link parallel activities instead of integrating their results.
Departments that work in parallel should be sharing data and
communicating with each other during a process instead of
waiting until each group is done and then comparing notes.
The outdated concept of only linking outcomes results in re-
work, increased costs, and delays.
• Put the decision points where the work is performed, and
build controls into the process. The people who do the work
should have decision making authority and the process itself
should have built-in controls using information technology.
Today’s workforce is more educated and knowledgeable than
in the past so providing workers with information technology
can result in the employees controlling their processes.

• Capture information at the source. Requiring information
to be entered more than once causes delays and errors. With
information technology, an organization can capture it once
and then make it available whenever needed.
These principles may seem like common sense today, but in
1990
they took the business world by storm. Hammer gives example
after
example of how organizations improved their business
processes by
many orders of magnitude without adding any new employees,
simply by changing how they did things (see sidebar).
Unfortunately, business process re-engineering got a bad name
in many organizations. This was because it was used as an
excuse
for cost cutting that really had nothing to do with BPR. For
example, many companies simply used it as a reason for laying
off part of their workforce. However, today many of the
principles of BPR have been integrated into businesses and are
considered part of good business-process management.
Sidebar: Reengineering the
College Bookstore
The process of purchasing the correct textbooks in a timely
manner
for college classes has always been problematic. Now with
online

bookstores competing directly with the college bookstore for
students’ purchases, the college bookstore is under pressure to
justify its existence.
But college bookstores have one big advantage over their
competitors, namely they have access to students’ data. Once a
student has registered for classes, the bookstore knows exactly
what
books that student will need for the upcoming term. To leverage
this
advantage and take advantage of new technologies, the
bookstore
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wants to implement a new process that will make purchasing
books through the bookstore advantageous to students. Though
they may not be able to compete on price, they can provide
other
advantages such as reducing the time it takes to find the books
and the ability to guarantee that the book is the correct one for
the class. In order to do this, the bookstore will need to
undertake
a process redesign.
The goal of the process redesign is simple. Capture a higher
percentage of students as customers of the bookstore. After
diagramming the existing process and meeting with student
focus groups, the bookstore comes up with a new process. In the
new process the bookstore utilizes information technology to
reduce the amount of work the students need to do in order to
get
their books. In this new process the bookstore sends the
students
an e-mail with a list of all the books required for their
upcoming
classes. By clicking a link in this e-mail, the students can log

into
the bookstore, confirm their books, and complete the purchase.
The bookstore will then deliver the books to the students. And
there is an additional benefit to the faculty: Professors are no
longer asked to delay start of semester assignments while
students wait for books to arrive in the mail. Instead, students
can
be expected to promptly complete their assignments and the
course proceeds on schedule.
College Bookstore Redesign
Here are the changes to this process shown as data flow
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diagrams:
College bookstore data flow diagram

(original) (Click to enlarge)
College bookstore data flow diagram
(redesigned) (Click to enlarge)
Sidebar: ISO Certification
,SO 9001
Cert i I i e d
Many organizations now claim that they are using best practices
when it comes to business processes. In order to set themselves
apart and prove to their customers, and potential customers, that
they are indeed doing this, these organizations are seeking out
an
ISO 9000 certification. ISO is an acronym for International
Standards Organization (website here). This body defines
quality

standards that organizations can implement to show that they
are,
indeed, managing business processes in an effective way. The
ISO
9000 certification is focused on quality management.
In order to receive ISO certification, an organization must be
audited and found to meet specific criteria. In its most simple
form,
the auditors perform the following review.
• Tell me what you do (describe the business process).
• Show me where it says that (reference the process
documentation).
• Prove that this is what happened (exhibit evidence in
documented records).
Over the years, this certification has evolved and many
branches
of the certification now exist. ISO certification is one way to
separate an organization from others. You can find out more
about the ISO 9000 standard here.
http://www.iso.org/iso/home.html
http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/management-
standards/iso_9000.htm

Summary
The advent of information technologies has had a huge impact
on how organizations design, implement, and support business
processes. From document management systems to ERP
systems, information systems are tied into organizational
processes. Using business process management, organizations
can empower employees and leverage their processes for
competitive advantage. Using business process reengineering,
organizations can vastly improve their effectiveness and the
quality of their products and services. Integrating information
technology with business processes is one way that information
systems can bring an organization lasting competitive
advantage.
Study Questions
1. What does the term business process mean?
2. What are three examples of business process from a job you
have had or an organization you have observed?
3. What is the value in documenting a business process?
4. What is an ERP system? How does an ERP system enforce
best practices for an organization?

5. What is one of the criticisms of ERP systems?
6. What is business process re-engineering? How is it different
from incrementally improving a process?
7. Why did BPR get a bad name?
8. List the guidelines for redesigning a business process.

9. What is business process management? What role does it play
in allowing a company to differentiate itself?
10. What does ISO certification signify?
Exercises
1. Think of a business process that you have had to perform in
the past. How would you document this process? Would a
diagram make more sense than a checklist? Document the
process both as a checklist and as a diagram.
2. Review the return policies at your favorite retailer, then
answer this question. What information systems do you think
would need to be in place to support their return policy?
3. If you were implementing an ERP system, in which cases
would you be more inclined to modify the ERP to match your
business processes? What are the drawbacks of doing this?
4. Which ERP is the best? Do some original research and
compare three leading ERP systems to each other. Write a
two- to three-page paper that compares their features.
Labs
1. Visit a fast food restaurant of your choice. Observe the
processes used in taking an order, filling the order, and
receiving payment. Create a flowchart showing the steps
used. Then create a second flowchart indicating where you

would recommend improvements to the processes.
2. Virginia Mason Medical Center, located in Seattle,
Washington, needed to radically change some of their
business processes. Download the case study. Then read the
case study and respond to the following items.
1. Number of campuses
2. Number of employees
3. Number of physicians
4. Nature of the issue at Virginia Mason
5. “You cannot improve a process until…”
6. Discuss staff walking distance and inventory levels

7. How were patient spaces redesigned?
8. What happened to walking distance after this redesign?
9. Inventory was reduced by what percent?
10. Total cost savings =
1. Hammer, M. (1990). Reengineering work: don’t automate,
obliterate. Harvard Business Review 68.4, 104–112.↵
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19LMjui3a6X6 Ea-YOCA5W-
1ofhcieROFj/view?usp=sharing

Chapter 8 Business Pr

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