A Standardization Strategy that Matches Enterprise Operation

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of what it means for an enterprise to be integrated, what enterprises are really trying to achieve by integrating their processes, what is really going on among their processes, and how integration may, or may not, change that. Some approaches to analyzing enterprise operation are discussed.

With an idea about how an enterprise really operates, the paper proposes a standards-making philosophy that will improve enterprise operations. The purpose is to create a standardization strategy for integration that matches the operating enterprise. If that is not done, the effort to produce the standards largely will be wasted. This is because an ill-conceived standards strategy will not alter the way enterprises actually operate at the activity level. Finally, there is a suggestion that, perhaps, enterprise-integration-related standards are in a category different from the usual standards for hardware, software, and protocols. Because these standards affect the entire enterprise, and even interacting enterprises, they are more in the category of horizontal standards such as quality and environmental standards.