Enterprise Engineering versus Cyclic Re-Engineering Methods

Abstract Due to the continuous evolution of industrial environments, a large number of manufacturing companies have been forced to reconsider their objectives in accordance with market conditions and, subsequently, to establish alternative management strategies, to re-organise their business processes and to re-structure their organisation. In this evolving environment, and in response to supply chain concepts, manufacturing companies need to be provided with sound and pragmatic re-engineering methodologies. In this paper, two cyclic approaches for continuous system improvement (as opposed to usual linear approaches) are analysed; starting from the main stages of which every approach is comprised: planning, analysis, design, implementation, support, as well as methods, tools and modelling techniques indicated for each phase, and its applicability to re-engineering projects of significant magnitude both in SMEs and large firms, or even enterprise networks. This comparison leads to the conclusion that Enterprise Reverse Engineering Methodology is a method of continuous improvement, which incorporates the scheme of cyclic re-engineering, focusing on the life cycle of the systems.