Business Process Management and the Need for Measurements - including an empirical study about operating figures

Abstract: Problem: Since business process management (BPM) is a very spacious concept, it is influenced from many other concepts, standards and methods that determine its constancy. Companies are asked to restructure their organisation in order to meet internal and external customer demands. The term quality comes to the fore. Organisations such as ISO and the EFQM try to certify or assess companies in terms of the course of their qualitative business processes but do not provide them with helpful implementation tools. One task will be to look at these approaches in a critical perspective in order to assess them with regard to BPM. Further, a company’s performance has to be assessed not only from a one-dimensional perspective. Hence operating figures have to be derived that cover a multi-dimensional assessment perspective in order to show if they meet internal as well as external customer demands. Thus, another task is to assess existing measurement systems with regard to BPM and to show how companies can control and monitor their business process in a better, more effective way. Purpose: The purpose is seen in a processing and comparison of different management concepts and methods in order to present an embracing picture within the area of BPM. The need for measurements will be emphasized, existing performance measurement systems towards BPM analysed and the concept of process controlling presented. In the end a rather practical guideline for the derivation of operating figures will be conceived to overcome acceptance problems SME might have. Several strategic and organisational related hypotheses in the field of operating figures will be investigated that support this approach. The evaluation takes place on the basis of empirical findings within a study of SME but also with help of existing theories. Methodology: This research is based on a combination of the systems and actors approach supplied with quantitative as well as qualitative data, which is collected in form of a questionnaire and via participation on a workshop within the so-called be.st (benchmarking for sustainability) project. This master thesis is conducted as an abductive study. As a consequence, reliability and validity are provided. Conclusions: References and adaptabilities of existing management approaches and measurement systems are pointed out. The further focus lies in an efficient and effective monitoring of business processes in the sense of BPM. On the hypotheses it is dwelled on, most notably on the re-use of operating figures and the most effective derivation method for operating figures- the top-down approach. The role of the management comes hereby to the fore. Findings of the empirical study are presented as well, in relation to the theory. A practical guideline for the derivation and re-use of operating figures and an embracing picture of BPM, its related areas and investigated companies is conceived in the end.