MITS5507 Assignment 2: Research Report in Business Process Management

This report is a critique of an academic paper titled "A business process modeling-enabled requirements engineering framework for ERP implementation". The paper explores the benefits of a requirements engineering framework for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation, combining process-driven and technology-driven approaches. The research utilized a case study-based methodology, focusing on a Greek manufacturing firm. The findings highlight the framework's ability to connect requirements engineering with the ERP development lifecycle, leading to reliable functional specifications and successful ERP system implementation. The report also discusses the research's limitations, such as the single case study, and concludes that proper ERP system implementation is dependent on the functional requirements, and that the applied framework is useful for the creation of both Request for Interest and Request for Proposal. The paper's relevance to the course is also evaluated.

Running head: BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT
Business Process Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT
A business process modeling-enabled requirements engineering framework for ERP
implementation
Nikolaos A. Panayiotou, Sotiris P. Gayialis, Nikolaos P. Evangelopoulos and Petros K.
Katimertzoglou
Sector of Industrial Management and Operational Research, National Technical University of
Athens, Athens, Greece
December 2014

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Introduction:
In the current aspects the ERP systems has become very much vital for the businesses so
that they can gain utmost efficiency in the business-related processes [1]. Implementation of this
type of ERP system implementation is quite complex process. Due to this reason the
implementation of the ERP system must be done in a proper way so that complexity of the ERP
system implementation can be avoided [2]. In this aspect, there various of journals are available
for proper type of ERP system implementation which expresses the framework for the ERP
system implementation within the organization.
Regarding this, in this report an academic paper on the engineering framework for the
ERP system implementation will be evaluated and based on the evaluation a critique on the
selected academic paper will be shared through this report. Firstly, the intention and the content
of the selected academic paper will be shared. Following that critique will be given on the
overall perspective of the academic paper.
Critique on the Academic Paper:
For providing the critique on the academic paper, the selected journal is the “A business
process modeling-enabled requirements engineering framework for ERP implementation”. The
authors of this journal are the Nikolaos A. Panayiotou, Sotiris P. Gayialis, Nikolaos P.
Evangelopoulos and Petros K. Katimertzoglou. In the following section of this report the critique
is shared briefly.
Intention and Content of the Article:
In this aspect the main intention of the selected academic paper is describing and
analysing the benefits which comes with application of requirements engineering framework
which can help proactively in the development process of Enterprise Resource Planning. In this
article the framework is capable of combining process driven and the technology driven
approaches for the requirement implementation and analysis. From this article it has been also
identified that specific type of business process modelling methods is currently capable of
enhancing the framework and is capable of assisting functional specification formulation of the
Enterprise Resource Systems and the requirement management [3]. As per this academic paper
the successful implementation of an ERP system is quite dependant on proper definition

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regarding the functional requirements. It means that organization has made proper strategic
decisions regarding the processes of it while having an excellent knowledge of the ERP
functionality integrated within the market. In this aspect the demonstrated applied framework is
capable of connecting requirements engineering with the development lifecycle of ERP [3]. In
this article the detail level of the modelling approach that has been proposed here is looks like
quite accurate for the off the self selection of ERP, even though all the functionality has been
developed from the initial stages. This article has elaborated that for all the cases the method of
custom process model could be extended by adopting further objects. This will be done for
automating the process of a more detailed classification generation of the actual requirement.
Research Method and Findings of the Academic Paper:
For performing the research, the selected article has used the case study-based strategy
for research methodology. In this aspect, the business process modelling actually enabled
framework for the requirement engineering that has been applied within a case organization for
the purpose of testing the preposition and for answering the research question. For the case study
a Greek manufacturing firm was chosen as a case study organization for the testing of theoretical
preposition. It has been selected in this case as it was a proper representative of typical type of
manufacturing organization of small to medium type of organization. This organization was
already having an operational ERP system and with that this organization was also having some
custom type of software packages [3]. With having all of these services the Greek organization
also decided to integrate more sophisticated type of ERP system with the current system so that it
can improve their overall business processes. Depending on this case study, framework of a
requirement engineering enhanced using the business processes modelling method has been
applied in this case and the evaluation of the gathered results has been done by utilization of ERP
implementation success. For performing the research, the data has been collected using various
of evidence sources which includes structured questionaries, interview with various of
stakeholders, functionality of the vendors, direct observation and documentation of the company.
From the findings of the research it has been assessed that this study has properly proved
that the configuration of reference model of ERP with the organizational process adjustments,
provided through a proper type of requirement engineering can effectively lead to reliable type of
functional specification [3]. This can also help to achieve smooth transition of the ERP systems.

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Through this organizations can eventually achieve the successful implementation of the ERP
system concerning the alignment of it with the actual requirement. From the findings of the
research, the implementation success of the ERP system has been also evaluated depending on a
set of metrics. Also, in this research the requirements that has been proposed of the engineering
framework was completely based on the identified gaps in the literature. In this way the findings
of the research have provided a new contribution to the research. The findings of the research
have also elaborated that the requirement framework engineering was received properly by the
employees of the organization. Business oriented personnel properly managed themselves for
focusing on the operational drawbacks [3]. In the same aspects the IT oriented personnel
properly obtained a quite beneficial tool for monitoring and evaluating the information system
role on the execution of business-related processes.
Issues Highlighted by the Author:
Regarding this research some issues has been observed by the author which are actually
the limitation related with this research. The main issue with this research is that only a single
case study has been conducted in the domain of manufacturing. This is the main issue that has
been highlighted by the author for this research [3]. Commenting on this, the authors has actually
found it right. Their all the findings are based on the observation of the single organization which
can vary for different type of organization. So, the authors could have considered some more
organizations in this research. In this way, the authors could have made this research richer.
Another issue that has been highlighted by the author is concerned with the results of the
case study. As per the authors the results of the case study which have measured the ERP
implementation success can occur due to some different kind of reasons. For example, the
authors have stated that these results can occur due to proper type of project management, proper
involvement of the stakeholders, effectiveness of the project team, and the culture of the
organization [3]. Commenting on this issue, it can affect the internal validity of the overall
research which is a serious issue in this case.
Conclusion of the Article:
From the conclusion of the article it has been assessed that proper implementation of the
ERP system are quite dependant on the proper functional requirements. Here, it has been
assessed that applied framework in this context is capable of connecting requirement engineering

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with the development lifecycle of the ERP system. With that it properly uses the approach of
business process modelling for supporting both of the Request for Interest and Request for
Proposal creation [3]. In this aspect, it properly covers the process view, organization view and
information technology view for defining information technology specification which is
connected to the corporate operation and the stakeholder needs.
In this aspect it has been also assessed that it is quite relevant with the main study of the
semester. This semester is concerned about the business process management and the selected
article is also related with the business process modelling which has provided many vital
information regarding it. Thus, in this way it is quite relevant with the main study of the
semester.
Conclusion:
From the above discussion it can be concluded that ERP system are very much important
for the businesses so that the business can achieve proper flow of the business processes. In this
report a critique has been provided on an academic paper related with the ERP system
implementation and the selected article was “A business process modeling-enabled requirements
engineering framework for ERP implementation”. In this critique paper first the intention of the
article and the main content of the article has been elaborated. In this case it has been assessed
that this article mainly describes and analyse important benefits provided by requirement
engineering framework which are useful for ERP system development. Following section has
described methodology of the research where case study methodology has been utilized for the
research. With that findings from the research has been also elaborated in this report. In the
selected article there are mainly two issues that has been identified by the author. Regarding
these issues some comments has been passed in this report. In the further section of this report
main conclusion of the selected article has been discussed and how it relevant with the study of
the semester has been evaluated.

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References:
[1] J. Nwankpa, "ERP system usage and benefit: A model of antecedents and
outcomes", Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 45, pp. 335-344, 2015. Available:
10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.019.
[2] E. Hustad, M. Haddara and B. Kalvenes, "ERP and Organizational Misfits: An ERP
Customization Journey", Procedia Computer Science, vol. 100, pp. 429-439, 2016. Available:
10.1016/j.procs.2016.09.179.
[3] N. Panayiotou, S. Gayialis, N. Evangelopoulos and P. Katimertzoglou, "A business process
modeling-enabled requirements engineering framework for ERP implementation", Business
Process Management Journal, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 628-664, 2015. Available: 10.1108/bpmj-06-
2014-0051.