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Business architecture: A new paradigm to relate business strategy to ICT

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Abstract

In this paper we address the concept of business architecture. We explain the concept and, based on a case study, discuss its relevance, operation, relationship with strategy and business models, and value for an organization. We also shortly discuss the approach that was taken to create the business architecture; how it was based on and derived from the business strategy. Business architectures contribute to clarify the complexity within an organization and form a useful starting point from which to develop subsequent functional, information, process and application architectures. We clarify these relationships through an architecture linkage model. Having an explicit business architecture also helps to structure the responsibilities within an organization, and to shape outsourcing activities, within the primary process as well as with regard to ICT-support. Business architectures contribute to an adequate ICT-governance in order to orchestrate the resources for critical business activities and how to manage the development and support for e-business efficiently.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. FourPoints Intelligence, Planetenbaan 114, 3606 AK, Maarssen, The Netherlands

    Gerrit Versteeg

  2. Information and Communication Technology,Faculty of Technology, Policy,Management, Delft University of Technology, PO Box 5015, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands

    Harry Bouwman

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  1. Gerrit Versteeg
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  2. Harry Bouwman
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Correspondence to Gerrit Versteeg.

Additional information

Gerrit Versteeg is managing partner/business architect for FourPoints Intelligence and has almost twenty years of experience in designing architectures for a variety of large customers. He graduated with honors in Strategic Management at Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University) and is currently pursuing his PhD researching the field of Business Architecture at Delft University of Technology.

Harry Bouwman is an associate professor at Delft University of Technology, Information and Communication Technology, Faculty Technology, Policy and Management. He served as an interim chair of the ICT-section in the period 2000–2002 and in 2004. He studied political science at the Free University of Amsterdam (1979). He is specialized in research methods and techniques, statistic and communication sciences. He followed courses in the domain of Computer Science at the Open University (1985–86). He received his PhD at Catholic University Nijmegen in 1986 at the Faculty of Social Science. Fields of interest:—ICT and organizations, strategic management in relation to ICT-management, Business Architecture;- Business models, Customer Value, Network formation, specifically with regard to 3G+ Mobile telecommunications services;- Innovation Management, ICT-entrepreneurship, high-tech ICT clusters or technopoles, incubators, role of national and local governments, and - Technology neutral regulation of telecommunication, (history of) Internet, Interconnection issues, QoS, telecommunication management.

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Versteeg, G., Bouwman, H. Business architecture: A new paradigm to relate business strategy to ICT. Inf Syst Front 8, 91–102 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-006-7973-z

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