The Strengths and Weaknesses of Business Process Reeingineering

Business Process Reengineering Strategy and Information Technology Integration
The purpose of this paper is to provide a review, analysis and synthesis of a series of selected peer-reviewed articles concerning the best practices for incorporating new and established technologies into business operations using business process reengineering (BPR). To this end, the paper presents a review of the relevant literature to provide an introduction of the context of the articles and a description of the operations management strategies evaluated. In addition, an identification of the key themes that emerged from the selected articles is followed by an analysis of the patterns of similarities and differences in how each author has presented each theme.-Finally, an evaluation concerning the implications of operations management strategies on the successful management and leadership of an enterprise is followed by a summary of the research and important findings concerning the foregoing issues in the conclusion.
Review and Analysis
Context of the reviewed articles
The context of the articles reviewed below is business process reengineering (BPR) which is defined by Setegn and Ensermu (2013) as being “a process-based management tool that can deliver, redesign or replace inefficient processes, as required, with a breakthrough results which can be applied to a single process, a group of processes, or the entire processes comprising the organization” (p. 116). In sum, proponents of BPR maintain that this strategy can provide a number of valuable outcomes for organizations, including most especially streamlined business processes, cost savings and the elimination of waste (Boje & Hillon, 2017). To determine the facts, a description of the operations management strategies discussed in the selected articles is provided below.
Description of evaluated operations management strategies
According to Setegn and Ensermu (2013), business practitioners in companies of all sizes and types have been forced to reevaluate their operations management strategies in response to fundamental changes in the market that have made conventional organizational processes far less efficient than when they were introduced. Innovations in information technology (IT), though, have facilitated the implementation of operations management strategies that are aligned with organizational goals (Lee & Chu, 2009). Notwithstanding these beneficial outcomes, however, Boje and Hillon (2017) make the point that BPR is not an end-all, one-size-fits-all solution for operations management strategies, most especially when applied to university settings. Likewise, Taher and Krotov (2016) cite the resistance to change that is inevitable when BPR initiatives are introduced. Conversely, Ringim and Osman (2013) argue that BPR has been particularly beneficial for the operations management strategies used by the banking sector.
Identification of the key themes
Perhaps the overarching key theme to emerge from the literature review concerned the inextricable relationship between the timely application of IT to BPR projects in order to realize the optimal benefits from these initiatives. For instance, Lee and Chu (2009) report that, “Many firms engaged in BPR projects reported success in costs saving, quality breakthrough, better customer services, time reduction and revenue increases. Information technology is one of the enablers of BPR because technologies can help business to reinforce their competitiveness” (p. 170). Similarly, Mathew and Sulphey (2015) emphasize that BPR can provide companies with a competitive advantage in an increasingly globalized marketplace.
Another key theme to emerge from the literature concerned the growth of business processes that involve information technology (IT). In this regard, Setegn and Ensermu (2013) advise that, “A century [ago], about [90%] of workers produced and moved tangible, material things. In the mid-1990s this ratio was down to [20%]. The other four out of five workers currently produce and deliver intangible products such as information and service” (p. 116). This theme means that even occupations that traditional did not involve IT resources are now characterized by extensive use of these technologies.
Analysis of similarities and differences
The studies reviewed shared some similarities, including their discussions concerning the relationship between BPR and innovations in IT as well as the benefits purported to accrue to the use of BPR in various organizational contexts. Likewise, many of the studies reviewed herein stressed the fact that far too many business practitioners do not fully understand the basic principles and guiding tenets of BPR and fail to achieve its full potential for their organizations. Indeed, Habib (2013) suggests that as many as 70% of all organizations that implement BPR initiatives fail to achieve the desired outcomes.
There were some differences identified, though, including the various organizational context examined which ranged from the public sector to the banking sector to universities to studies that examined BPR applications in generic types of organizations. In addition, there were also some differences in the methodological approaches used by the authors of these studies. For instance, the study by Ringim and Osman (2013) used a survey of banking practitioners and Setegn and Ensermu (2013) used a survey to develop the primary data needed to evaluate BPR processes as they applied to Ethiopian organizations and economic development. In addition, Mathew and Sulphey (2015) used a mixed methodology to evaluate the effects of BPR implementations in the public sector.
By contrast, the study by Lee and Chu (2009) reviewed the secondary research concerning the effects of IT on BPR from both intra- and extra-organizational perspectives, the studies by Taher and Krotov (2016) and Habib (2013) used a systematic review of the secondary literature, the study by Boje and Hillon (2017) provided a content analysis of the secondary research concerning the adverse effects of BPR applied to a institutional of higher learning context and the study by Ringim and Osman (2013) investigated BPR applications in the banking sector..
Evaluation of the implications for operations management strategies
Thoughtfully implemented and judiciously administered, the research suggests that BPR and IT integration can provide organizations of all sizes and types with a number of benefits, but the level and extent of these benefits depends in large part on the ability of organizational leaders to leverage these resources in ways that support their long-term goals. More importantly, perhaps, there is also a need for top-down support of BPR initiatives since the research made it clear that many people are highly resistant to change in their daily routines and the “what’s in it for them” aspects must be made clear.
Conclusion
The research showed business process engineering is a straightforward concept that holds the potential to provide a wide array of benefits for organizations, but the concept and principles of BPR are widely misunderstood and this constrains the effectiveness of its various implementations. The research also showed, though, that it is possible to achieve optimal results, especially when stakeholders are educated concerning the need for the initiative and how it will benefit them. Finally, it is reasonable to conclude that like any management strategy, business process reengineering will continue to be refined and developed over the next several years in an effort to further improve its effectiveness and universal applicability.


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References
Boje, D. M. & Hillon, Y. C. (2017, April 1). 21st century university and the failure of business process reengineering. Organization Development Journal, 35(1), 91-95.
Habib, M. N. (2013, March). Understanding critical success and failure factors of business process reengineering. International Review of Management and Business Research, 2(1), 1-4.
Lee, Y. C. & Chu, P. Y. (2009, May). Exploring the relationships between information technology adoption and business process reengineering. Journal of Management and Organization, 15(2), 170-177.
Mathew, G. & Sulphey, M. M. (2015, November 1). Scope of business process reengineering in public sector undertakings. Asian Social Science, 11(26), 129-132.
Ringim, K. J. & Osman, N. H. (2013, September). Exploring the implementation of business process reengineering in banks. Asian Social Science, 9(11), 243-247.
Setegn, D. & Ensermu, M. (2013, January). Assessing the effect of business process reengineering on organizational performance. Researchers World, 4(1), 115-120.
Taher, N. B. & Krotov, V. (2016, Fall). Business process reengineering: Addressing sources of resistance and sabotage tactics. Journal of Competitiveness Studies, 24(3), 145-151.