A meta-framework for Efficacious Adaptive Enterprise Architectures

19th International Conference on Business Information Systems

A meta-framework for Efficacious Adaptive Enterprise Architectures Rogier van de Wetering, PhD and Rik Bos, PhD The Open University of the Netherlands July 8th 2016, Leipzig

Reference: Van de Wetering, R. and Bos, R. A meta-framework for Efficacious Adaptive Enterprise Architectures , in International Conference on Business Information Systems. 2016, Springer International Publishing: Leipzig, Germany. [download] [download]

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Short introduction Professional experience •

2015-now

Assistant Professor, Management, Science & Technology, Open University

•

2005-2015

Manager at Deloitte Consulting

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2010-2013

External lecturer, medical informatics, Utrecht University

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2007-2011

PhD research, Utrecht University

Education •

PhD research (‘11), Faculty Mathematics & Computer Sciences, Utrecht University (A Strategic PACS Maturity Approach)

•

Information Sciences (‘05), Utrecht University, Melbourne University

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Agenda

1

Key takeaways

2

Background and objectives

3

Complexity Science

4

Framework development process

5

2EA framework and principles of adaption

6

Conclusion and outlook

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Key takeaways

Enterprise Architectures (EA) should not be regarded as ‘static’ and ‘homogeneous’ blueprints of organizations

Organizations that embrace these principles are better equipped to deal with both the internal and external dynamics

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Principles of efficacious adaptation are elementary drivers for adaptation of EA in organizations

Little research has been done on fitness and adaptation in the context of EA Paradigm shift

• Organizations take into account dynamics of changing environment (Brown, 1997; Eisenhardt, 2000) • Attention towards co-evolutionary nature of IS/IT (Benbya & McKelvey, 2006; Vessey & Ward, 2013) • Dynamic approach frames future IS/IT research (Merali et al., 2012)

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Enterprise Architecture research

• EA enables organizations to achieve strategies • Represented in layers (e.g. Janssen, 2009) • Need for dynamic architectural complexity stressed by Zimmermann et al. (2015)

Propose a theory driven conceptual meta-framework for efficacious EA adaptation to leverage current and future EA capabilities Research objectives

Research question

• Principles of efficacious adaptation explaining adaptive success

• Describe a conceptual metaframework on a generic level

• Principles impact organizations’ ability to adapt / co-evolve IS/IT capabilities (Benbya et al., 2006)

• We address the following main research question:

• Propose conceptual metaframework for EA adaptation • Leverage current and future EA capabilities and support adaption

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“How can a meta-framework for efficacious EA adaptation be designed using complexity science as a frame of reference and principles of adaptive success?”

We built upon ideas from complexity science and Complex Adaptive Systems theory as a frame of reference

Sciencedaily (2016), Rainforest [ONLINE]. Available at: https://images.sciencedaily.com/2012/09/120905135008_1_900x600.jpg [Accessed 7 July 2016].

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Familiar Complex Adaptive System…

Adls, (2013), Charting the Changes [ONLINE]. Available at: http://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/adlsmedia/8725730/financialmarkets.jpg [Accessed 7 July 2016].

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Familiar Complex Adaptive System…

Shutterstock, (2013), Biomimicry [ONLINE]. Available at: https://s3-eu-west1.amazonaws.com/static.nextnature.net/app/uploads/2013/07/ant-bridge_2302146k-640x400.jpg [Accessed 29 June 2016].

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Familiar Complex Adaptive System…

Global-integration, (2016), Networked organizations [ONLINE]. Available at: http://global-integration.s3.amazonaws.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/Networked-organizations-330x300.png [Accessed 7 July 2016].

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Ideas from complexity science apply particularly well to the development, continuous adaptation and alignment of EA’s Complexity science and CAS perspective

• Complexity science studies behaviors of CAS: co-evolving, massively entangled and emergent

EA relevance

• EA as a CAS?

• Challenges traditional science:

• Hierarchical, multilevel system, comprising aggregation hierarchies, architecture layers and views

“at any level of analysis, order within a system is an emergent property of individual interactions at a lower level of aggregation” (Stacey, ’95)

• EA adaptation needs a ‘holistic’ and ‘complex’ theoretical framework that fits the diversity of organizational components

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Framework development process: Simon’s view Design science method

Foundational baseline work

• Incremental development process following ‘initial stages’ of the DSRM (Peffers, 2007; Venable et al., 2012)

• 1st pillar Benbya et al. (2006) and 1st principles of efficacious adaptation

• Focus on ‘building activities’ in a first attempt to design a conceptual meta-framework • Ensured quality and validity through complementary validation methods

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• 2nd pillar builds upon an integration among architecture frameworks (Zarvić, Wieringa, 2014) • NOT ANOTHER FRAMEWORK!

Our meta-framework consists of four architectural, connected and interrelated layers with capabilities…. (1) Co-evolutionary tension and change

Legend

Layers EA capabilities

Enterprise environment Focus capabilities: Co-evolvement with environmental dynamism and the business ecosystem.

Enterprise Focus capabilities: Enterprise-wide value delivery through business process, management, structures and relations.

Enterprise systems Focus capabilities: Leveraging heterogeneous and loose coupled IS/IT, software and information.

Infrastructure Focus capabilities: Scalability and cost efficiency infrastructure deployment.

(2) Organizational complexity

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(3) Complementarity and interactional complexity

.…First we will look at the four architectural, connected and interrelated layers with capabilities…. Enterprise environment Focus capabilities: Co-evolvement with environmental dynamism and the business ecosystem.

Enterprise Focus capabilities: Enterprise-wide value delivery through business process, management, structures and relations.

Enterprise systems Focus capabilities: Leveraging heterogeneous and loose coupled IS/IT, software and information.

Infrastructure Focus capabilities: Scalability and cost efficiency infrastructure deployment.

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Four layers and capabilities

• EA capabilities are modular units of functionality (‘what’) • Main challenges include dynamics of ecosystem competitors, alignment, flexibility, connectivity, standards, etc. • Multi-level challenges can be dealt with using principles of efficacious adaptation

The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight principles of efficacious adaptation…. Co-evolutionary tension and change

• Adaptive Tension: environmentally imposed tensions • Deviation Amplification: Mutually causal relationships amplify self-organization • Change Rate: Higher internal change rates offer advantage

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Organizational complexity

• Requisite Variety: manage external variety by matching internal degree of complexity • Modular Design: decomposable subunits tend to evolve faster

Complementarity and interactional complexity

• Causal Intricacy: mutual adjustment among groups • Complementarity: individual elements of a strategic planning process cannot be individually optimized • Coordination Rhythm: Support of both interaction and entangled

The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight principles of efficacious adaptation…. Co-evolutionary tension and change

• Adaptive Tension: environmentally imposed tensions • Deviation Amplification: Mutually causal relationships amplify self-organization • Change Rate: Higher internal change rates offer advantage

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Organizational complexity

Complementarity and interactional complexity

• Requisite Variety: • Causal Intricacy: manage external mutual adjustment Fostering tension along variety by matching among groups architectural levels; internal degree of continuous adoption of new • Complementarity: complexity (modular) capabilities, competition individual elements of survival • Modularbetween Design: capabilitiesa(i.e. strategic planning of the fittest) decomposable process cannot be subunits tend to individually optimized evolve faster • Coordination Rhythm: Support of both interaction and entangled

The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight principles of efficacious adaptation…. Co-evolutionary tension and change

• Adaptive Tension: environmentally imposed tensions • Deviation Amplification: Mutually causal relationships amplify self-organization • Change Rate: Higher internal change rates offer advantage

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Organizational complexity

Complementarity and interactional complexity

• Requisite Variety: • Causal Incremental EA designIntricacy: that fosters manage external mutual adjustment emergence of new architectural variety by matching groups capabilities andamong generate new internal degree of innovative relations among complexity capabilities. • Complementarity: individual elements of • Modular Design: a strategic planning decomposable process cannot be subunits tend to individually optimized evolve faster • Coordination Rhythm: Support of both interaction and entangled

The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight principles of efficacious adaptation…. Co-evolutionary tension and change

• Adaptive Tension: environmentally imposed tensions • Deviation Amplification: Mutually causal relationships amplify self-organization • Change Rate: Higher internal change rates offer advantage

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Organizational complexity

Complementarity and interactional complexity

• Requisite Variety: • Causal Intricacy: manage external mutual adjustment variety by matching among groups internal degree of • Complementarity: Enabling continuous change of EA complexity individualprocesses, elements of capabilities spanning • Modular Design: a strategic people, technology and planning assets and decomposable thus increasing process cannot be its absorptive subunits tend tocapacity. individually optimized evolve faster • Coordination Rhythm: Support of both interaction and entangled

The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight principles of efficacious adaptation…. Co-evolutionary tension and change

• Adaptive Tension: environmentally imposed tensions • Deviation Amplification: Mutually causal relationships amplify selforganization • Change Rate: Higher internal change rates offer advantage

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Organizational complexity

Complementarity and interactional complexity

which one can add, • Requisite Variety: Extent •toCausal Intricacy: remove capabilities manage external modify, and mutual adjustment with very few ‘strong’ variety by matching with ease, among groups internal degree of with most relations among the EA capabilities being ‘short-term’ • Complementarity: complexity individual elements of • Modular Design: a strategic planning decomposable process cannot be subunits tend to individually optimized evolve faster • Coordination Rhythm: Support of both interaction and entangled

The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight principles of efficacious adaptation…. Co-evolutionary tension and change

Organizational complexity

• Requisite Variety: manage external variety by matching internal degree of • Deviation Causal influences may be complexity Amplification: Mutually thus, focusing on multidirectional; • Modular Design: causal relationships technical (functionality, decomposable amplify interoperability, selfinterfaces etc.), subunits tend to organization business and organization evolve faster requirements. • Change Rate: Higher internal change rates offer advantage • Adaptive Tension: environmentally imposed tensions

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Complementarity and interactional complexity

• Causal Intricacy: mutual adjustment among groups • Complementarity: individual elements of a strategic planning process cannot be individually optimized • Coordination Rhythm: Support of both interaction and entangled

Conclusion and outlook Contribution

Future research

• Adapt EA in alignment with the turbulent environment, organizational dynamics and stakeholder interests

• Application in practice (cases)

• Identify and execute improvement activities in alignment with principles

• Extending the 2EA framework (‘new view/perspective’) with Dynamic Capabilities

• Grounded checklist and analysis tool to identify improvement areas

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• Expert sessions, interviews and focus groups

• Define architectural complexity measures; assessment tool

Q&A

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Contact

dr. R. (Rogier) van de Wetering Assistant Professor Faculty Management, Science & Technology nl.linkedin.com/in/rvandewetering

twitter.com/drvandewetering

researchgate.net/profile/Rogier_Van_de_Wetering2 openuniversiteit.academia.edu/RVanDeWetering

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