A coevolutionary framework of business-IT alignment via the lens of enterprise architecture

Due to the turbulent external business environment, the complexity of internal relations of the organization and the emergence of subversive IT roles, the business-IT alignment(BITA)has become increasingly difficult. The unsuccessful realization of BITA will lead to the waste of organizational resources, the reduction of return on investment and eventually the loss of competitive advantage. In recent years, coevolution has received widespread attention due to its ability to describe the dynamic relationship between IT and business. Multiple principles such as quickening learning action loops and adopt suitable organizing principles for achieving business and IT coevolution(BITC) are obtained. However, the continuous BITC is still hard to be achieved because of the lack of complete BITC management. This paper focuses on the management process of the BITC and how to perform it gradually. A coevolution framework combines the enterprise architecture(EA) approach with the coevolution analysis is proposed, which contains the design of EA, the sensing and governance of the misalignment and the procedure of the EA misalignment prevention.The steps for the governance and prevention of misalignment are discussed in particular. Through comparison with the principles,characteristics and methods of coevolution in the literature, the proposed framework is evaluated. The results show that the proposed framework is effective for BITC implementation.

Rethinking Enterprise Architecture for Sustainable Energy System Development

The development of a sustainable energy system throughout an enterprise is a complex task, which requires an agile holistic approach. Such an approach needs to include a variety of objectives including energy strategy formation and strategic decision-making, which are directly related to the analysis and management of the main areas of sustainable development： The economic, technological, environmental, and social. These multidimensional requirements of sustainability are often difficult to achieve within the enterprise, because these aspects are interrelated and influenced by various internal and external environment factors. This paper first reviews the main challenges for an energy system, and then demonstrates how a strategic agile enterprise architecture driven approach could effectively guide the sustainable energy system development. The study presented in this paper provides a holistic approach that contributes to the advancement and usage of literature dealing with issues of sustainable energy system development and agile enterprise architecture, which has not been discussed before to any great extent.

Empirically Modeling Enterprise Architecture Using ArchiMate

Enterprise Architecture(EA)has evolved based on the practice of information systems architecture design and implementation.EA is a rigorous description of a structure,and the objectives of EA modeling not only include clarifying corporate strategies,visualizing business processes,and modeling information systems to manage resources but also include improving organizational structures,adjusting information strategies,and creating new business value.Therefore,EA models cover a wide scope that includes both IT and business architectures.Typically,EA modeling is the initial and most important analysis step for researchers,architects,and developers.ArchiMate is the dominant modeling language for EA and it has been shown to improve visualization of EA models.However,few studies have systematically introduced general modeling methods using ArchiMate to meet a broad range of needs and few studies have empirically evaluated the modeling method using ArchiMate.This paper introduces an EA visualization approach to fill that gap and conducts a case study on a wilderness weather station system.Strict controlled experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of this modeling method,and the experimental results show that this modeling procedure is not only feasible,but also can effectively transform the system metamodel and restore the EA scene.

EAFoC： Enterprise Architecture Framework Based on Commonality

The recent rapid development in information systems （ISs） has resulted in a critical need for integration and interoperability between heterogeneous ISs in various domains, using specific commonalities. However, stovepipe systems have been caused due to inconsistencies in planning IS architecture among stakeholders. So far, there has been no research on an enterprise architecture framework （EAF） that can satisfy with the coefficient factors of system architecture （SA） and enterprise architecture （EA）. This paper proposes a new EAF that can resolve the problems inherent in existing legacy EAFs and their features. EAFoC （Enterprise Architecture Framework based on Commonality） is based on commonality that can be satisfied as the coefficient factors in both SA and EA within a common information technology （IT） domain. Thus, it should be possible to integrate an established heterogeneous framework for each stakeholder＇s view. Consequently, the most important contribution of this paper is to establish the appropriate EAFoC for the development of consistent IS architecture, smooth communication among stakeholders, systematic integration management of diversified and complicated new IT technologies, interoperability among heterogeneous ISs, and reusability based on commonality with other platforms.

Semantics-oriented approach for information interoperability and governance:towards user-centric enterprise architecture management

Enterprise architecture (EA) efforts focus on business, technology, data, and application architecture, and their integration. However, less attention has been given to one of the most critical EA elements, i.e., users (EA audiences). As a result, existing EA management systems (EAMS) have become old, large, content-centric document-repositories that are unable to provide meaningful information of use to the enterprise users and aligned with their needs and functional scope. We argue that a semantic technology based mechanism focusing on enterprise information and user-centricity has the potential to solve this problem. In this context, we present a novel ontology-based strategy named the user-centric semantics-oriented EA (U-SEA) model. Based on this model, we have developed a user-centric semantics-oriented enterprise architecture management (U-SEAM) system. Our approach is generic enough to be used in a wide variety of user-centric EAM applications. The results obtained show computational feasibility to integrate and govern enterprise information and to reduce complexity with respect to interoperability between enterprise information and users.

The RQ-Tech methodology:a new paradigm for conceptualizing strategic enterprise architectures

The purpose of this paper is to report on a new system-theoretic based methodology and corresponding model for Enterprise Architecture development.This model captures the essence of the strategic,conceptual,doctrinal layer of the organization.Reusable Quality Technical Architectures(RQ-Tech)graphically reveals a comprehensive array of enterprise decision alternatives in easily understandable views;all while maintaining the hyperlinks to its provenance in strategic authoritative documentation.The RQ-Tech method has combined the practice of Enterprise Architectures with a modern perspective grounded in Systems Theory and the theory regarding the computer science-oriented Semantic Web.This recombination results in a distinctive methodology for developing models.This new methodology supports the conclusion that system-specific solutions produce islands of technology and can be prevented by employing better enterprise change planning.A review of the literature in three major areas illustrates the overlap common to all three domains.This review provides support for critical thinking concerning how to enrich the Enterprise Architecture practice.The research centered on finding the most significant factors to consider when translating the authoritative text and rich pictures that enterprise managers use to describe the strategic mission and vision of their complex,service-oriented enterprise into user-oriented semantic models.It provides the basis for RQ-Tech as a methodology that enables increased understanding of complex systems through use of Semantic Web standards.

Neural Network-Based Performance Index Model for Enterprise Goals Simulation and Forecasting

Enterprise Information System management has become an increasingly vital factor for many firms. Several organizations have encountered problems when attempting to evaluate organizational performance. Measurement of performance metrics is a key challenge for a huge number of firms. In order to preserve relevance and adaptability in competitive markets, it has become essential to respond proactively to complex events through informed decision-making that is supported by technology. Therefore, the objective of this study was to apply neural networks to the modeling, simulation, and forecasting of the effects of the performance indicators of Enterprise Information Systems on the achievement of corporate objectives and value creation. A set of quantifiable and sizeable conditionally independent associations were derived using a simplified joint probability distribution technique. Bayesian Neural Networks were utilized to describe the link between random variables (features) and to concisely and easily specify the joint probability distribution. The research demonstrated that Bayesian networks could effectively explore complex logical linkages by employing probability to represent uncertainty and probabilistic rules;and by applying impact models from Bayesian taxonomies to achieve learning and reasoning processes.

ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION PLATFORM BASED ON SERVICEORIENTED ARCHITECTURE

To achieve information integration, process integration and application integration of enterprise, an enterprise integration platform （EIP） based on service-oriented architecture （SOA） is built. The enterprise integration model depending on encapsulating the business processes as well as the enterprise applications by the neutral and standard web services is presented. The problem how to discover the existed enterprise resources and share them was resolved depending on the mechanism of publishing and discovering the services. The EIP is integrated closely with product lifecycle management （PLM） system so that the process integration as well as orchestration of the business process services is implemented by encapsulating the workflow engine of PLM system. Not only process integration and application integration, but also information integration based on the bill of material （BOM） conversion driven by process are achieved. Finally, an interpretive, qualitative case study on EIP is conducted for this research.

Modelling User Needs:Students as Enterprise Analysts

We illustrate a case study,where students designed enterprise architectures,that were not only welcome but successfully implemented.The success key was threefold.First the analysis framework,that integrates all the aspects of the systems that are relevant to users,namely user interface,rules,and information.Second,the analysis approach,that guides,trough confirmatory sessions,to elicit real requirements from users.Third,the model-to-model transformation,that assures consistency from the highest aggregate abstraction down to an executable model.

Modeling the dynamic alignment of business and information systems via the lens of human-centered architecture evolution

The complexity of business and information systems(IS)alignment is a growing concern for researchers and practitioners alike.The extant research on alignment architecture fails to consider the human viewpoint,which makes it difficult to embrace emergent complexity.This paper contributes to the extant literature in the following ways.First,we combine an enterprise architecture(EA)framework with a human viewpoint to address alignment issues in the architecture design phase;second,we describe a dynamic alignment model by developing a humancentered meta-model that explains first-and second-order changes and their effects on alignment evolution.This paper provides better support for the theoretical research and the practical application of dynamic alignment.

An approach to measuring business-IT alignment maturity via DoDAF2.0

Measuring the business-IT alignment(BITA)of an organization determines its alignment level,provides directions for further improvements,and consequently promotes the organizational performances.Due to the capabilities of enterprise architecture(EA)in interrelating different business/IT viewpoints and elements,the development of EA is superior to support BITA measurement.Extant BITA measurement literature is sparse when it concerns EA.The literature tends to explain how EA viewpoints or models correlate with BITA,without discussing where to collect and integrate EA data.To address this gap,this paper attempts to propose a specific BITA measurement process through associating a BITA maturity model with a famous EA framework:DoD Architectural Framework 2.0(DoDAF2.0).The BITA metrics in the maturity model are connected to the meta-models and models of DoDAF2.0.An illustrative ArchiSurance case is conducted to explain the measurement process.Systematically,this paper explores the process of BITA measurement from the viewpoint of EA,which helps to collect the measurement data in an organized way and analyzes the BITA level in the phase of architecture development.

Enterprise service bus and standard based hospital integration platform and its application research

For healthcare organizations, there is increasing needs to share data among applications to deliver qualitypatient care. It is a key for successful diagnosis and treatment to view accurate and up-to-date patient data in a single information dashboard in real time. But the fact is that many hospitals and healthcare providers today are struggling with legacy system or internally developed systems that cannot easily scale to support new interfaces; the plethora of inflexible point-to-point interfaces make changing in one system deleteriously impact other systems; some systems could not support information sharing; and the standards followed by different systems are not compatible to each other. This is making it increasingly difficult to meet the rapidly changing and demanding of healthcare service.

Enterprise application transformation strategy and roadmap design:A business value driven and IT supportability-based approach

This paper proposes a practical and framework-based approach to design an architecture transformation strategy and roadmap aiming to transform or modernize critical legacy enterprise systems.The approach is business value driven with IT supportability in terms of lower application operational and support costs,higher business value and shorter time to market of application delivery.The approach introduces a robust enterprise application architecture assessment framework with an emphasis on technical(internal)and strategic(external)perspectives to guide the application assessment and also a finance selfsupport transformation strategy to aid its transformation roadmap design.The approach was applied in multiple large enterprises successfully and received endorsements and positive feedback from the sponsors.The paper also presents a case study detailing the successful application of the approach to modernize an enterprise logistics transportation management system.