a meta-framework for efficacious adaptive enterprise architectures

A meta-framework for

Efficacious Adaptive Enterprise Architectures

Rogier van de Wetering, PhD and Rik Bos, PhD

The Open University of the Netherlands

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19th International Conference on Business Information Systems

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]

https://www.academia.edu/26980682/A_meta-framework_for_Efficacious_Adaptive_Enterprise_Architectures

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305309217_A_meta-framework_for_Efficacious_Adaptive_Enterprise_Architectures

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Short introduction

Professional experience

• 2015-now Assistant Professor, Management,

Science & Technology, Open University

• 2005-2015 Manager at Deloitte Consulting

• 2010-2013 External lecturer, medical

informatics, Utrecht University

• 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

Agenda

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1

Background and objectives

Complexity Science

Framework development process

Key takeaways

2

3

4

2EA framework and principles of adaption

Conclusion and outlook

5

6

Key takeaways

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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

Principles of efficacious

adaptation are elementary

drivers for adaptation of

EA in organizations

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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)

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)

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Propose a theory driven conceptual meta-framework for efficacious

EA adaptation to leverage current and future EA capabilities

Research objectives

• Principles of efficacious adaptation

explaining adaptive success

• Principles impact organizations’

ability to adapt / co-evolve IS/IT

capabilities (Benbya et al., 2006)

• Propose conceptual meta-

framework for EA adaptation

• Leverage current and future EA

capabilities and support adaption

Research question

• Describe a conceptual meta-

framework on a generic level

• We address the following main

research question:

“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

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Sciencedaily (2016), Rainforest [ONLINE]. Available at:

https://images.sciencedaily.com/2012/09/120905135008_1_900x600.jpg [Accessed 7 July 2016].

Familiar Complex Adaptive System…

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Adls, (2013), Charting the Changes [ONLINE]. Available at: http://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/adls-

media/8725730/financialmarkets.jpg [Accessed 7 July 2016].

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Shutterstock, (2013), Biomimicry [ONLINE]. Available at: https://s3-eu-west-

1.amazonaws.com/static.nextnature.net/app/uploads/2013/07/ant-bridge_2302146k-640x400.jpg [Accessed 29

June 2016].


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Global-integration, (2016), Networked organizations [ONLINE]. Available at: http://global-integration.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-

content/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

• Challenges traditional science:

“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 relevance

• EA as a CAS?

• Hierarchical, multilevel system,

comprising aggregation hierarchies,

architecture layers and views

• 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

• Incremental development process

following ‘initial stages’ of the DSRM

(Peffers, 2007; Venable et al., 2012)

• Focus on ‘building activities’ in a first

attempt to design a conceptual

meta-framework

• Ensured quality and validity through

complementary validation methods

Foundational baseline work

• 1st pillar Benbya et al. (2006) and 1st

principles of efficacious adaptation

• 2nd pillar builds upon an integration

among architecture frameworks

(Zarvić, Wieringa, 2014)

• NOT ANOTHER FRAMEWORK!

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Our meta-framework consists of four architectural, connected and

interrelated layers with capabilities….

Enterprise environment

Focus capabilities:

Enterprise-wide value delivery through business process, management,

structures and relations.

Focus capabilities:

Leveraging heterogeneous and loose coupled IS/IT, software and

information.

Focus capabilities:

Co-evolvement with environmental dynamism and the business

ecosystem.

Focus capabilities:

Scalability and cost efficiency infrastructure deployment.

Enterprise

Enterprise systems

Infrastructure

EA capabilities

Legend

Layers

(1) Co-evolutionary tension and change

(2) Organizational complexity

(3) Complementarity

and interactional

complexity

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.…First we will look at the four architectural, connected and

interrelated layers with capabilities….

Enterprise environment

Focus capabilities:

Enterprise-wide value delivery through business process, management,

structures and relations.

Focus capabilities:

Leveraging heterogeneous and loose coupled IS/IT, software and

information.

Focus capabilities:

Co-evolvement with environmental dynamism and the business

ecosystem.

Focus capabilities:

Scalability and cost efficiency infrastructure deployment.

Enterprise

Enterprise systems

Infrastructure

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

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The 2EA framework also consist of dimensions containing eight

principles of efficacious adaptation….

• Adaptive Tension:

environmentally

imposed tensions

• Deviation

Amplification:

Mutually causal

relationships amplify

self-organization

• Change Rate: Higher

internal change rates

offer advantage

Co-evolutionary tension

and change

• Requisite Variety:

manage external

variety by matching

internal degree of

complexity

• Modular Design:

decomposable

subunits tend to

evolve faster

Organizational

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

Complementarity and

interactional complexity

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environmentally

imposed tensions

• Deviation

Amplification:

Mutually causal


self-organization



offer advantage


and change


manage external

variety by matching

internal degree of

complexity

• Modular Design:

decomposable

subunits tend to

evolve faster

Organizational

complexity


mutual adjustment

among groups




process cannot be


• Coordination Rhythm:

Support of both

interaction and

entangled

Complementarity and


Fostering tension along

architectural levels;

continuous adoption of new

(modular) capabilities, competition

between capabilities (i.e. survival

of the fittest)

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environmentally

imposed tensions

• Deviation

Amplification:

Mutually causal


self-organization



offer advantage


and change


manage external

variety by matching

internal degree of

complexity

• Modular Design:

decomposable

subunits tend to

evolve faster

Organizational

complexity


mutual adjustment

among groups




process cannot be



Support of both

interaction and

entangled

Complementarity and


Incremental EA design that fosters

emergence of new architectural

capabilities and generate new

innovative relations among

capabilities.

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environmentally

imposed tensions

• Deviation

Amplification:

Mutually causal


self-organization



offer advantage


and change


manage external

variety by matching

internal degree of

complexity

• Modular Design:

decomposable

subunits tend to

evolve faster

Organizational

complexity


mutual adjustment

among groups




process cannot be



Support of both

interaction and

entangled

Complementarity and


Enabling continuous change of EA

capabilities spanning processes,

people, technology and assets and

thus increasing its absorptive

capacity.

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environmentally

imposed tensions

• Deviation

Amplification: Mutually

causal relationships

amplify self-

organization



offer advantage


and change


manage external

variety by matching

internal degree of

complexity

• Modular Design:

decomposable

subunits tend to

evolve faster

Organizational

complexity


mutual adjustment

among groups




process cannot be



Support of both

interaction and

entangled

Complementarity and


Extent to which one can add,

modify, and remove capabilities

with ease, with very few ‘strong’

with most relations among the

EA capabilities being ‘short-term’

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environmentally

imposed tensions

• Deviation

Amplification: Mutually

causal relationships

amplify self-

organization



offer advantage


and change


manage external

variety by matching

internal degree of

complexity

• Modular Design:

decomposable

subunits tend to

evolve faster

Organizational

complexity


mutual adjustment

among groups




process cannot be


• Coordination

Rhythm: Support of

both interaction and

entangled

Complementarity and


Causal influences may be

multidirectional; thus, focusing on

technical (functionality,

interoperability, interfaces etc.),

business and organization

requirements.

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Conclusion and outlook

Contribution

• Adapt EA in alignment with the

turbulent environment,

organizational dynamics and

stakeholder interests

• Identify and execute improvement

activities in alignment with principles

• Grounded checklist and analysis

tool to identify improvement areas

Future research

• Application in practice (cases)

• Expert sessions, interviews and

focus groups

• Extending the 2EA framework (‘new

view/perspective’) with Dynamic

Capabilities

• Define architectural complexity

measures; assessment tool

Q&A

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Contact

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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