Business process re‐engineering and teleworking

Summarizes the results of a European Commission project led by the author, which has examined business re‐structuring across Europe and the relationship between business process re‐engineering (BPR) and new ways of working. Found that there are many ways other than BPR for achieving fundamental change and that most exercises being undertaken in the name of BPR are of an improvement nature and in some cases more radical improvements are being achieved by those adopting new patterns of work. Argues that BPR is failing to harness enough of the potential of people. Business processes rather than management support or learning processes are being re‐engineered. People are working harder rather than smarter.