Enterprise Modeling for Business and IT Alignment: Challenges and Recommendations

Abstract

In order to achieve Business and IT Alignment (BITA) it is required to capture and analyze both business and IT dimensions of enterprises. In this regard Enterprise Modeling (EM) is acknowledged as one useful mean. One of the central roles during EM is EM practitioner who drives and coordinates the EM project. Conducting EM is a highly collaborative activity that requires considerable skills and experience since EM practitioner has to deal with various challenges throughout the project. Despite a quite wide range of research, EM challenges needs to be further investigated, in particular concerning practical recommendations related to creation and usage of enterprise models. This article presents a framework with challenges and recommendations for EM that is aimed on facilitating business and IT alignment. The empirical base for the study consists of interviews with EM practitioners that have significant experience in EM. In order to achieve Business and IT Alignment (BITA) it is required to capture and analyze both business and IT dimensions of enterprises. In this regard Enterprise Modeling (EM) is acknowledged as one useful mean. One of the central roles during EM is EM practitioner who drives and coordinates the EM project. Conducting EM is a highly collaborative activity that requires considerable skills and experience since EM practitioner has to deal with various challenges throughout the project. Despite a quite wide range of research, EM challenges needs to be further investigated, in particular concerning practical recommendations related to creation and usage of enterprise models. This article presents a framework with challenges and recommendations for EM that is aimed on facilitating business and IT alignment. The empirical base for the study consists of interviews with EM practitioners that have significant experience in EM.