The Business Transformation Framework and Enterprise Architecture Framework for Managers in Business Innovation: Knowledge Management in Global Software Engineering (KMGSE)

Background

This work’s background combines Knowledge Management (KM), GSE, enterprise architecture, heuristics/ mathematical models, technology management, business transformation and business engineering fields. Building a KMGSE based on a Decision Making System (DMS) should be the major strategic goal for business companies, as shown in Figure 1 (Lanubile, Ebert, Prikladnicki, & Vizcaíno, 2010; Cearley, Walker, & Burke, 2016; Thomas, 2015).

Figure 1.

Technology trends

Source: Cearley, Walker, & Burke, 2016

The proposed KMGSE model or pattern is: 1) a generic and cross-business and a global technology modelling concept; 2) engineering and reasoning engine that contains basically GSE modelling techniques; 3) qualitative research methods that manage sets of factors; and 4) a framework that can be used by any type of Business Transformation Project (BTP). The authors based their over-all research method on intelligent neural networks and driven development, where both methods resemble to the human empiric brain processing that is very much influenced by the authors’ previous works and more specifically by the chapter related to the Knowledge and Intelligence Driven Development (KIDD) (Trad & Kalpić, 2018a). The KMGSE concept is business and technology driven one and is agnostic to a specific application and business environment, as shown in Figure 2. The KMGSE is founded on a research framework that in turn is based on the industry architecture standard, the Architecture Development Method (ADM) (The Open Group, 2011a). Enterprise architecture is a methodology used to develop BTPs, requirements, architecture, intelligence modules, knowledge modules and its technology software engineering components. The Business Transformation Manager (BTM) or an enterprise architect can integrate a KMGSE in the global architecture and its underlying software modelling of a BTP to support the DMS system (Trad & Kalpić, 2017b; Trad & Kalpić, 2017c; Thomas, 2015; Tidd, 2006). This KMGSE proposal’s goal is to deliver recommendations for managing aligned GSEs with synchronised KM(s) and DMS(s). The applied research methodology is based on literature review, a qualitative methodology and on a proof of concept for the proposed hypotheses. In a holistic knowledge management and software architecture, the BTM’s role is important and his or her (for simplicity, in further text – his) decisions are aided by using factors within the AMM subsystem. A large set of factors can influence such an AMM, like: a) the role of the knowledge management subsystem; b) enterprise business critical success factors; c) enterprise budget and resources; d) DMS capabilities; e) audit and technological conditions; f) financial predispositions; and g) security, financial and legal control mechanisms using a collaborative tools for GSE (Lanubile, Ebert, Prikladnicki, Vizcaíno, & Vizcaino, 2010). A systems approach is the optimal choice to model such a KMGSE (Daellenbach & McNickle, 2005; Trad & Kalpić, 2016a). As shown in Figure 2, the decision model interacts with the external world via an implemented framework to manage the KMGSE’s factors and that is this chapter’s focus.