The knowledge and process dimensions

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this article is to present the relationship between the nature of business processes (BPs) and the nature of knowledge used in the course of their execution on the basis of an analysis of the relevance of different dimensions of BPs. The conclusion presented herein points to the inextricable relationship between business process management (BPM) and knowledge management (KM) in the knowledge economy (KE). Design/methodology/approach The paper is conceptual in nature and is grounded in the theories of BPM and KM. Findings The article analyses the significance of the changing nature of BPs for particular dimensions of BPs, as well as the relationships between the nature of BPs and the kinds of knowledge used in subsequent stages of the BPM Lifecycle. These relationships, which are primarily tied to the dimensions of BP Unpredictability and Knowledge-intensity, should be taken into account in each element of the BPM ecosystem to a larger degree, the larger the significance of processes which require dynamic management in an organization. Research limitations/implications The article is a contribution to the theoretical reflection on the holistic approach to BPM. It expressly points to the inevitable necessity of integration (dynamic) BPM with KM, with the exception of the specific case of traditional BPM, which encompasses structured BPs. This integration requires us to take into account the influence of KM in virtually all of the elements of the BPM ecosystem. Practical implications The article points to the necessity of researching the nature of executed and managed BPs as early as in the course of preparing the organization to implement BPM in the KE. The aim is to select and/or adapt implementation methodologies and systems, supporting BPM in the organization to the real BPs nature. The analysis presented in the article on the dimensions of BPs points to the particular significance of the method of adjusting elements of the BPM ecosystem in the execution and analysis and diagnosis stages of the BPM lifecycle. Originality/value The article presents an original view of the interrelations between BPM and KM in the knowledge intensive organizations (KIOs) in the KE.