Enterprise Architecture within the Service-Oriented Enterprise

Abstract

In his best selling book The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman proclaims “We are entering a phase where we are going to see the digitization, virtualization, and automation of almost everything … the real information revolution is about to begin” (Friedman, 2005). Certainly, the prevalence of high-speed connectivity has eliminated the barriers of doing business around the world. Lower cost and talented workforce in India and China are now easily if not transparently accessible and online. To thrive in the global economy, CEOs are using outsource, in-source, and offshore models to create strong partner-networks throughout the value chain. Technology leader Intel Corporation states in a recent whitepaper, “businesses are enjoying increased agility that allows them to rapidly respond to changing market needs and opportunities” (Intel Corporation, 2005). Enter a new paradigm called the “service-oriented enterprise” (SOE). In the SOE model, an organization views itself as a set of “business services” supported by adaptable, scalable, and reliable technology. Early-adopters of this model are benefiting through global collaboration, real-time business responsiveness, and productive mobile work forces. By grasping this paradigm shift, enterprise architects can guide organizations in building agility model and compete in the global economy.