Toward agile Business Process Management: Description of concepts and a proposed definition

Abstract

AbstractBusiness Process Management (BPM) needs to be adjusted quickly and flexibly to cope with the dynamics of the business environment, so the demand for the incorporation of agility has reached BPM. To contribute to the theoretical consolidation of Agile BPM, it is necessary to develop a conceptualization for the term, that is, to describe the essential attributes for its understanding. Communicating the meaning of the concept in reduced words occurs through the definition, so the main objective of this study is to develop a scientific definition for Agile BPM. This study was performed in three phases. First, a systematic literature review was conducted to investigate how the scientific literature has addressed Agile BPM. Next, a deductive analysis was performed to conceptualize Agile BPM. In the third phase, a consultation with experts was conducted to refine the conceptual view and critique a tentative definition, preceded by judges' analysis to consolidate the definition. As a result, the concept of Agile BPM was elaborated, and based on the reduction of this conceptualization, a scientific definition was presented which describes that Agile BPM is “the promotion of BPM in which practitioners stimulate change quickly and flexibly in order to meet organizational demands with compliance and provide a better customer experience”. There is a pioneering spirit in the present study regarding the deliberate conceptualization of Agile BPM, which provides the basis for discussion of the topic, and helps scientific dissemination through a definition, contributing to the development of a theory of Agile BPM.