A theory of enterprise transformation

  • Authors:

  • William B. Rouse

  • Affiliations:

  • Tennenbaum Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332

  • Venue:
  • Systems Engineering
  • Year:
  • 2005

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Abstract

The information technology revolution has driven the pace of competition and rapid globalization. Consequently, enterprises increasingly need to consider and pursue fundamental changetransformation—to maintain or gain competitive advantage. This need raises important research issues concerning how transformation is best understood and pursued. This paper outlines a theory of enterprise transformation to guide research on these issues. The theory focuses on why and how transformation happens, as well as ways in which transformation is addressed and pursued in terms of work processes and the architecture of these processes. A variety of industry and corporate vignettes is used to illustrate the theory. A portfolio of research initiatives are discussed in terms of how they can advance the proposed theory, while also enhancing practices of enterprise transformation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 8: 279–295, 2005