Process reengineering and the dynamic balance of the organisation

The idea of process reengineering, or computer-aided process-focused industrial engineering, has taken a firm hold in today's companies, but the benefits of this approach have often been elusive and even when they have been achieved it is by no means clear that they will be sustainable. In this paper, John Hendry looks critically at the logic underlying both traditional and contemporary industrial engineering approaches and the organisational problems they encounter, with particular attention to the organisation's ability to develop over time and to respond effectively to exceptional or changing circumstances. The conclusion reached is that reengineering is a necessary component of the drive for business efficiency, but that if it is to be a long-term success three classic dangers, inherent in the industrial engineering approach must be avoided.