Enterprise Architecture Best Practices in Large Corporations
Enterprise architecture (EA) is an integrated strategy, business, and information systems approach for analysis, governance, and information technology (IT) alignment. It is a comprehensive blueprint that requires the careful planning, documentation, and analysis of all the operations of an organiza...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-09-01
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| Series: | Information |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/10/10/293 |
| _version_ | 1819278455976493056 |
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| author | Ibrahim Abunadi |
| author_facet | Ibrahim Abunadi |
| author_sort | Ibrahim Abunadi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Enterprise architecture (EA) is an integrated strategy, business, and information systems approach for analysis, governance, and information technology (IT) alignment. It is a comprehensive blueprint that requires the careful planning, documentation, and analysis of all the operations of an organization. Employing EA helps companies achieve strategic goals with the support of business activities and information systems. However, some large corporations avoid EA frameworks and methodologies owing to their implementation difficulties or the presence of conflicting frameworks and business needs. The goal of this paper is to increase large organizations’ awareness of enterprise architecture best practices (EABPs) and methods of EA framework implementation. Thus, this research has developed an EABP capability matrix to measure companies’ capacities to implement EABPs and provided lessons based on how 17 organizations implemented EABPs. Based on an analytical literature review, the developed matrix includes eight critical EABPs categorized under four themes: EA framework and methodology, strategic practices, business activities, and information systems. As practical and theoretical contributions: (1) This inclusive approach was not found in the EA literature as most past research focuses on only one of these themes. (2) The EA matrix can be used as a measurement matrix research methodology to measure the extent to which cases adopt EABPs, making it beneficial to EA researchers and practitioners. (3) EA practitioners can also use it to practically determine and rectify the weak points of EABPs, thus taking advantage of EA frameworks. The findings indicate that many large organizations implement EABPs as business-as-usual practices without EA frameworks and methodologies. However, those that adopt an EA framework use the open group architecture framework and rely heavily on enterprise resource planning in the implementation of EABPs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:12:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2b27a5322148454186b4d5189d5c6eac |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2078-2489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:12:17Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Information |
| spelling | doaj.art-2b27a5322148454186b4d5189d5c6eac2022-12-21T17:24:50ZengMDPI AGInformation2078-24892019-09-01101029310.3390/info10100293info10100293Enterprise Architecture Best Practices in Large CorporationsIbrahim Abunadi0College of Computer and Information Sciences, Prince Sultan University, Rafha Street, Riyadh 11586, Saudi ArabiaEnterprise architecture (EA) is an integrated strategy, business, and information systems approach for analysis, governance, and information technology (IT) alignment. It is a comprehensive blueprint that requires the careful planning, documentation, and analysis of all the operations of an organization. Employing EA helps companies achieve strategic goals with the support of business activities and information systems. However, some large corporations avoid EA frameworks and methodologies owing to their implementation difficulties or the presence of conflicting frameworks and business needs. The goal of this paper is to increase large organizations’ awareness of enterprise architecture best practices (EABPs) and methods of EA framework implementation. Thus, this research has developed an EABP capability matrix to measure companies’ capacities to implement EABPs and provided lessons based on how 17 organizations implemented EABPs. Based on an analytical literature review, the developed matrix includes eight critical EABPs categorized under four themes: EA framework and methodology, strategic practices, business activities, and information systems. As practical and theoretical contributions: (1) This inclusive approach was not found in the EA literature as most past research focuses on only one of these themes. (2) The EA matrix can be used as a measurement matrix research methodology to measure the extent to which cases adopt EABPs, making it beneficial to EA researchers and practitioners. (3) EA practitioners can also use it to practically determine and rectify the weak points of EABPs, thus taking advantage of EA frameworks. The findings indicate that many large organizations implement EABPs as business-as-usual practices without EA frameworks and methodologies. However, those that adopt an EA framework use the open group architecture framework and rely heavily on enterprise resource planning in the implementation of EABPs.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/10/10/293enterprise architecturelarge organizationsbusiness process managemententerprise resource planningbest practicesthe open group architecture framework (TOGAF)governanceIT alignment |
| spellingShingle | Ibrahim Abunadi Enterprise Architecture Best Practices in Large Corporations Information enterprise architecture large organizations business process management enterprise resource planning best practices the open group architecture framework (TOGAF) governance IT alignment |
| title | Enterprise Architecture Best Practices in Large Corporations |
| title_full | Enterprise Architecture Best Practices in Large Corporations |
| title_fullStr | Enterprise Architecture Best Practices in Large Corporations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enterprise Architecture Best Practices in Large Corporations |
| title_short | Enterprise Architecture Best Practices in Large Corporations |
| title_sort | enterprise architecture best practices in large corporations |
| topic | enterprise architecture large organizations business process management enterprise resource planning best practices the open group architecture framework (TOGAF) governance IT alignment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/10/10/293 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ibrahimabunadi enterprisearchitecturebestpracticesinlargecorporations |