Week 6 – Basics of BPR (2)

Source / Reference:

1    1 )     “Applying quality to Leavitt’s framework to solve information technology problems: A case study”, D. Grant,, E. Mergen, 1996

2    2 )     A Look at the Components of Leavitt's Diamond, S. Thakur, 2011 http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/122495.aspx

Subject: 
What the new Leavitt’s framework did Grant and Mergen proposed?

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Response:

BPR derives its existence from different disciplines, and four major areas can be identified as being subjected to change in BPR - organization, technology, strategy, and people - where a process view is used as common framework for considering these dimensions. The approach can be graphically depicted by a modification of "Leavitt’s diamond".

The interaction between these four components determines the fate of an organization. Any change in one of these elements will have a direct effect on all the other elements, and thus they will also need to be tweaked to accommodate the change. Leavitt’s diamond is an integrated approach and is widely used for managing organizational change. This is the old model proposed by Dr. Harold Leavitt. (Thakur, 2011)

However, Grant and Mergen suggested that the four interactive variables could be modified. The modifications included replacing the variable structure with organization structure and adding communication as the fifth variable.

I think this new model is more suitable in today’s business environment, especially for the added variable, communication:

• ·        It can show both people communication and technology-related communication. This is vital to function effectively within organization, as communication is necessary to every business process.
• ·        It is important in total quality management (TQM) for providing rapid feedback to both internal and external organizational entities.
• ·        The communication between people and technology is important in organization as levels of authority and decision making exist between technology and people.

There are benefits from new model adoption:

• ·        Obvious reduction in product cycle time.
• ·        Improved communication
• ·        Better coordination and collaboration
• ·        Streamlining of the function
• ·        Better use of existing technologies

Because the new model can have below characteristics:

• ·        Appreciation the impact of both social and technical communication
• ·        Identify the interrelationships between five factor
• ·        Focus on the effectiveness and the efficiency of work performed in the function
• ·        Organize ideas to identify problem specific to the function
• ·        Aid the understanding and acquisition of new knowledge about for the function, as the interrelationship between five factors will be known.

Hence, due to the emphasis of communication in new model, companies benefit a lot by the improved communication between people and technology, and between people. Communication is critical for maintaining competitive advantage for a company since every business process is not a stand-alone process, but a collaborative work.