Alexander Bock

A Comparative Analysis of Selected Enterprise Modeling Approaches

Complexity inherent to the management of organizational action recommends the use of instruments that support the structured description and analysis of organizations. A variety of enterprise modeling (EM) methods have been developed to serve these purposes. To contribute to the elucidation of their conceptual differences, overlaps, and focal points, this paper analyzes four selected EM methods based on a designed analysis framework. It includes an assessment of the methods’ key goals and purposes, central assumptions, and concepts. The paper concludes with a suggestion of future research topics.

Multi-perspective Enterprise Modeling—Conceptual Foundation and Implementation with ADO xx

This chapter describes a method for multi-perspective enterprise modeling (MEMO) and a prototypical implementation of a selected part of the method with ADOxx, called MEMO4ADO. MEMO has been developed during a period of more than twenty years and is still a subject of ongoing research. MEMO includes a set of integrated domain-specific modeling languages to describe organizational action systems as well as information systems. MEMO4ADO implements a subset of MEMO languages specifically tailored for educational purposes. The chapter summarizes the background and evolution of MEMO, illustrates the implementation and functionalities of MEMO4ADO, and outlines future developments.

On the Explanatory Capabilities of Enterprise Modeling Approaches

The capability of an enterprise modeling approach to support the provision of knowledge on selected aspects of an enterprise may be apprehended as its explanatory capability. We argue that this capability encompasses two aspects: the capability to represent “the things happening in an enterprise” and the ‘self-explanatory’ capability that relates to the understandability of the approach and the resulting models. In this paper, we propose an analysis framework that can be used to assess the explanatory capabilities of enterprise modeling approaches. The framework is structured according to the four explanatory causes of Aristotle. We demonstrate the applicability of the framework by analyzing three selected enterprise modeling approaches.

Beyond Narrow Decision Models: Toward Integrative Models of Organizational Decision Processes

Decisions are an integral part of organizational life. But whereas operational business processes have received ample attention, the systematic and reflective coordination and cultivation of organizational decision processes have scarcely been addressed to date. The paper argues that integrative conceptual models can provide valuable support for the multidisciplinary activities related to organizational decision making. Requirements are substantiated, based on which a selection of existing tools is reviewed and found insufficient. The outline of a modeling language to describe, analyze, and reassess decision processes in the organizational context is presented and discussed.

The Concepts of Decision Making: An Analysis of Classical Approaches and Avenues for the Field of Enterprise Modeling

The field of enterprise modeling seeks to help make organizational decisions that take place under conditions of complexity, ambiguity, and conflicting views. But available concepts to describe decision situations are still in their infancy. A variety of existing model-based approaches to aid decision making have been developed in adjacent research fields. The paper investigates a selection of these approaches and reconstructs central concepts in the form of meta models. Implications and ways of integrating decision concepts with existing enterprise modeling methods are considered, and possible avenues for the field of enterprise modeling are discussed.

MEMO GoalML: A Context-Enriched Modeling Language to Support Reflective Organizational Goal Planning and Decision Processes

Conceptual models of goal systems promise to provide an apt basis for planning, analyzing, monitoring, and (re-)considering goals as part of management processes in the organization. But although a great deal of conceptual goal modeling languages are available, these take only limited account of the organizational dimension of goals, including authorization rights, responsibilities, resources, and, in particular, related decision processes. This paper presents a goal modeling language which is integrated with a method for multi-perspective enterprise modeling, such that context-enriched models of goal systems can be constructed. Aside from organizational aspects, particular emphasis is placed on conceptualizations that clearly distinguish different (meta) levels of abstraction.

Towards Support for Strategic Decision Processes Using Enterprise Models: A Critical Reconstruction of Strategy Analysis Tools

Strategic decision processes are traditionally thought to affect an organization’s long-term success, motivating the development of strategy analysis tools. But ordinary strategy analysis tools have been criticized on several grounds, such as the neglect of organizational context and ill-defined concepts. This paper explores whether enterprise models can provide a richer foundation for strategic analysis, intending to lay the ground for the development of a modeling language. Specifically, the paper analyzes key concepts of traditional strategy analysis tools, reconstructs these concepts in the form of a meta model, and demonstrates integration potentials with enterprise models. The paper closes with implications and lessons learned for future research.

How Modeling Language Shapes Decisions: Problem-Theoretical Arguments and Illustration of an Example Case

To facilitate decision making and problem solving in organizations, numerous modeling approaches have been advanced in various research fields. Many of them are grounded on the idea that problem situations can be structured by means of designated sets of modeling concepts. A critical, yet often implicit, assumption in parts of the literature concerns the view that a given set of modeling concepts can capture the problem situation “as it is”. Considering arguments about the constructive nature of problems, the paper illustrates a practical example case in which different modeling approaches are used to describe a single decision situation, to the effect that the formative role of decision modeling languages becomes apparent. Theoretical and practical implications for the field of conceptual modeling are outlined, and directions for future research are drawn.

The Power/Generality Trade-Off in Decision and Problem Modeling: Theoretical Background and Multi-level Modeling as a Resolution

A central conflict in decision and problem solving support is known as the ‘Power/Generality’ trade-off. The incorporation of a high level of domain-specific concepts and mechanisms in a decision instrument will increase the instrument’s power but will do so at the cost of the instrument’s generality. This paper has two purposes. First, it brings to attention the power/generality conflict in conceptual decision and problem solving modeling, and it demonstrates the resultant problems in relation to an existing enterprise decision modeling language. Second, the paper proposes the use of a multi-level modeling paradigm as a possible resolution of the conflict, and it proposes concrete re-conceptualizations for an existing modeling language to alleviate the associated problems.