The impact of decision automation

Abstract: As scholars and specialists are calling for decision oriented rather than process-oriented automation, the work of the Business Process Management (BPM) is also subjected to continuous change. This research seeks to examine the relationship between the Decision Automation Services (DAS) and the role of Business Process Analyst (BPA) in BPM. To achieve this objective, the research analyses the changes that occur in the work design of the BPA role when DAS is introduced into the work of an organization. Through a detailed analysis of the empirical data, the research revealed a strong correlation between the work characteristics of the BPA role and the use of DAS. Furthermore, the study offered a new theoretical framework that helped examine how the work characteristics of knowledge workers changed with the introduction of a new Information Systems Developments (ISD). Moreover, the research findings related to task variety, identity, and skill variety, set the foundation for a clearer definition of the BPA position and its required competencies. In this sense, the study identified changes such as: decreased ambiguity in the BPA role, better defined task identity, more direct channel of feedback from the BPA to the top management and a centralized BPA position in relation to IT and business people.