Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in business processes and research in distributed computing environments. Applications today can be composed of very heterogeneous components: some involve having the user in the loop; some deal with streaming data; while some require high-performance resources for their execution. This chapter examines the performance of a series of process-based models for the development of e-Business using enterprise software applications. Merging management technology in workflow systems is a critical step to provide service-oriented architecture and on-demand business. The authors propose a value-oriented process technique as a strategic alignment to improve investment value. The framework focuses on the guidelines for traditional users to identify the structural conflicts in integrating web services. A comparative study of workflow models for intra-and inter-organizational process control is presented. This chapter identifies the current progress in the adaptability in the design of process models coupled with structural changes of workflow views. The study provides a resource list of successful implementations for practitioners in organizational management. The research highlights the motivation of market facilitation, expert sharing and collaboration that enable commercial applications to support complex heterogeneous, autonomous and distributed information systems.
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The relationship between information technology investments and the value of the enterprise has sustained interest among researchers in workflows, cross-enterprise processes governed by business logic and rules, internet protocols, as well as web services. More and more companies collaborate with each other in a virtual way powered by the internet networking, from supplier to end-use customers. The information with the infrastructure can be expanded simultaneously available to all those involved in enterprise processes, such as product data, quality, costs and delivery requirements, quantity quotations, process plan efficiency, and interactions for meta-, macro-, and micro- distributed process planning (Siller, Estruch, Vila, Abellan, & Romero, 2008; Kuechler & Vaishnzvi, 2008).
Business process modeling is a significant activity in enterprises as e-Business and enterprise integration drive the need to deploy business processes online (Aissi, Malu, & Srinivasan, 2002; Weiss & Amyot, 2005; Sewing, Rosemann & Dumas, 2006; Chen, Zhang & Zhou, 2007). Most business process modeling efforts are knowledge-intensive and require organizations to formalize a large number of complex inter and intra-organizational processes to facilitate their ensuing deployment in large-scale workflow systems in enterprise planning. (Tagg, 2001) These management systems need to be integrated with the tools of a process to perform within it: productivity tools, specialized technical support systems, such as CAD systems, graphic packages, enterprise-wide integrated software applications, such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), mail systems and other communication systems. When the applications become more modulated and service oriented, there will no longer be work-alone software. (Cimatti, Clarke, Giunchiglia & Roveri, 2000).
The most common application for process modeling, control and management is Workflow Management Systems (WfMSs). The technology has become readily available (van der Aalst, Desel, & Oberwies, 2000; van der Aalst & van Hee, 2002; van der Aalst & Jablonski, 2000; Fischer, 2001; van der Aalst & van Dongen, 2002; Grigori, Casati, Dayal, & Shan, 2001; Herbst & Karagiannis, 2000; Cook & Wolf, 1999). Commercial workflow management systems (WfMSs) such as Staffware, IBM MQSeries, and COSA offer generic modeling and enactment capabilities for structured business processes. Besides stand-alone systems, WfMSs are becoming integral components of many enterprise-wide information systems (Leymann & Roller, 2000). Consider for example Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP, PeopleSoft, Baan and Oracle, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems, Business to Business (B2B) applications which embed workflow technology.