IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orisre/v17y2006i4p374-391.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Formulating the Data-Flow Perspective for Business Process Management

Author

Listed:
  • Sherry X. Sun

    (Department of Management Information Systems, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721)

  • J. Leon Zhao

    (Department of Management Information Systems, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721)

  • Jay F. Nunamaker

    (Department of Management Information Systems, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721)

  • Olivia R. Liu Sheng

    (Accounting and Information Systems, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112)

Abstract

Workflow technology has become a standard solution for managing increasingly complex business processes. Successful business process management depends on effective workflow modeling and analysis. One of the important aspects of workflow analysis is the data-flow perspective because, given a syntactically correct process sequence, errors can still occur during workflow execution due to incorrect data-flow specifications. However, there have been only scant treatments of the data-flow perspective in the literature and no formal methodologies are available for systematically discovering data-flow errors in a workflow model. As an indication of this research gap, existing commercial workflow management systems do not provide tools for data-flow analysis at design time. In this paper, we provide a data-flow perspective for detecting data-flow anomalies such as missing data, redundant data, and potential data conflicts. Our data-flow framework includes two basic components: data-flow specification and data-flow analysis; these components add more analytical rigor to business process management.

Suggested Citation

  • Sherry X. Sun & J. Leon Zhao & Jay F. Nunamaker & Olivia R. Liu Sheng, 2006. "Formulating the Data-Flow Perspective for Business Process Management," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 17(4), pages 374-391, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:17:y:2006:i:4:p:374-391
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.1060.0105
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/isre.1060.0105
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/isre.1060.0105?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Amit Basu & Robert W. Blanning, 2000. "A Formal Approach to Workflow Analysis," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 11(1), pages 17-36, March.
    2. Akhil Kumar & J. Leon Zhao, 1999. "Dynamic Routing and Operational Controls in Workflow Management Systems," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(2), pages 253-272, February.
    3. Edward A. Stohr & J. Leon Zhao, 2001. "Workflow Automation: Overview and Research Issues," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 3(3), pages 281-296, September.
    4. G. Wirtz & M. Weske & H. Giese, 2001. "The OCoN Approach to Workflow Modeling in Object-Oriented Systems," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 3(3), pages 357-376, September.
    5. Amit Basu & Robert W. Blanning, 1994. "Metagraphs: A Tool for Modeling Decision Support Systems," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 40(12), pages 1579-1600, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xue Bai & Ramayya Krishnan & Rema Padman & Harry Jiannan Wang, 2013. "On Risk Management with Information Flows in Business Processes," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(3), pages 731-749, September.
    2. Luning Liu & Jingrui Ju & Yuqiang Feng, 2017. "An extensible framework for collaborative e-governance platform workflow modeling using data flow analysis," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(3), pages 415-437, July.
    3. Dongming Xiang & Fang Zhao & Yaping Liu, 2021. "DICER 2.0: A New Model Checker for Data-Flow Errors of Concurrent Software Systems," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-20, April.
    4. Chang, Hsin Hsin & Wang, I. Chen, 2011. "Enterprise Information Portals in support of business process, design teams and collaborative commerce performance," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 171-182.
    5. Arava Tsoury & Pnina Soffer & Iris Reinhartz-Berger, 2020. "Data Impact Analysis in Business Processes," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 62(1), pages 41-60, February.
    6. Tobias Wuttke & Thomas Haskamp & Michael Perscheid & Falk Uebernickel, 2024. "Building the Processes Behind the Product: How Digital Ventures Create Business Processes That Support Their Growth," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 66(5), pages 565-583, October.
    7. Xue Bai & Manuel Nunez & Jayant R. Kalagnanam, 2012. "Managing Data Quality Risk in Accounting Information Systems," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 453-473, June.
    8. Amit V. Deokar & Jie Tao, 0. "OrgMiner: A Framework for Discovering User-Related Process Intelligence from Event Logs," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-20.
    9. Sherry X. Sun & Jing Zhao & Sumit Sarkar, 2017. "How High Should We Go? Determining Reservation Values to Negotiate Successfully for Composite Software Services," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 28(2), pages 353-377, June.
    10. Amit V. Deokar & Jie Tao, 2021. "OrgMiner: A Framework for Discovering User-Related Process Intelligence from Event Logs," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 753-772, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Amit Basu & Akhil Kumar, 2002. "Research Commentary: Workflow Management Issues in e-Business," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Amit Basu & Robert W. Blanning, 2003. "Synthesis and Decomposition of Processes in Organizations," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 14(4), pages 337-355, December.
    3. Haluk Demirkan & Sagnika Sen & Michael Goul & Jason Nichols, 2012. "Ensuring reliability in B2B services: Fault tolerant inter-organizational workflows," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 765-788, July.
    4. T. S. Raghu & B. Jayaraman & H. R. Rao, 2004. "Toward an Integration of Agent- and Activity-Centric Approaches in Organizational Process Modeling: Incorporating Incentive Mechanisms," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 15(4), pages 316-335, December.
    5. Sagnika Sen & T. S. Raghu, 2013. "Interdependencies in IT Infrastructure Services: Analyzing Service Processes for Optimal Incentive Design," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(3), pages 822-841, September.
    6. Noyan Ilk & J. Leon Zhao & Paulo Goes & Paul Hofmann, 2011. "Semantic enrichment process: An approach to software component reuse in modernizing enterprise systems," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 359-370, July.
    7. Daniel D. Zeng & J. Leon Zhao, 2005. "Effective Role Resolution in Workflow Management," INFORMS Journal on Computing, INFORMS, vol. 17(3), pages 374-387, August.
    8. Gunwoo Kim & Yongmoo Suh, 2011. "Semantic business process space for intelligent management of sales order business processes," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 515-542, September.
    9. Papamichail, K. N. & Robertson, I., 2005. "Integrating decision making and regulation in the management control process," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 319-332, August.
    10. Piotr Senkus & Waldemar Glabiszewski & Aneta Wysokinska-Senkus & Angelika Panka, 2021. "Process Definitions - Critical Literature Review," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(3), pages 241-255.
    11. Gelman, Irit Askira, 2005. "Addressing time-scale differences among decision-makers through model abstractions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(2), pages 325-335, January.
    12. Therani Madhusudan, 2007. "A web services framework for distributed model management," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 9-27, March.
    13. Luning Liu & Jingrui Ju & Yuqiang Feng, 2017. "An extensible framework for collaborative e-governance platform workflow modeling using data flow analysis," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(3), pages 415-437, July.
    14. Yair Wand & Ron Weber, 2002. "Research Commentary: Information Systems and Conceptual Modeling—A Research Agenda," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 13(4), pages 363-376, December.
    15. Amit Basu & Robert W. Blanning, 2000. "A Formal Approach to Workflow Analysis," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 11(1), pages 17-36, March.
    16. Amit Basu & Robert W. Blanning, 1998. "The Analysis of Assumptions in Model Bases Using Metagraphs," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(7), pages 982-995, July.
    17. Avgerou, Chrisanthi, 2000. "Information systems: what sort of science is it?," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 567-579, October.
    18. Devaki Rau & Thorvald Haerem, 2010. "Applying an organizational learning perspective to new technology deployment by technological gatekeepers: A theoretical model and key issues for future research," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 287-297, July.
    19. Seung-Hyun Rhee & Hyerim Bae & Yongsun Choi, 2007. "Enhancing the efficiency of supply chain processes through web services," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 103-118, March.
    20. Amit V. Deokar & Omar F. El-Gayar, 2011. "Decision-enabled dynamic process management for networked enterprises," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 13(5), pages 655-668, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:17:y:2006:i:4:p:374-391. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.