Business process redesign an information architecture: exploring the relationships

Business process redesign (BPR) and information architecture (IA) have been recognized as high priority agenda items in organizations during the 1990s. This paper explores the relationships between the two concepts. Specifically, this paper focuses on three main concerns: how IA supports BPR, how the lack of IA hinders BPR, and what approach to IA can facilitate BPR? The paper begins with a brief review of the development and implementation of each concept. This is followed by an examination of how IA and BPR are related to business processes, both existing and newly designed processes. This analysis, in conjunction with results from field research, provide the basis for nine propositions regarding the BPR and IA relationship. In support of BPR, IS professionals have the opportunity not only to contribute to a firm's business objectives, but also to begin to achieve IA's promise while avoiding some of IA's past implementation problems. It is hoped that further research based on these propositions will lead to more complete answers and perhaps more specific questions on the BPR/IA relationships.

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