Despite documented best practices and specialized tools, software organizations struggle to deliver quality software that is on time, within budget, and meets customer requirements. Managers seeking improved software project outcomes face two dominant software paradigms which differ in their emphasis on upfront planning, customer collaboration, and product documentation: plan-driven and agile. Rather than promoting one approach over the other, this research advocates improving software management practices by developing the organization’s ambidextrous capability. Ambidextrous organizations have the ability to simultaneously succeed at two seemingly contradictory capabilities (e.g. discipline and agility) which leads to enhanced organizational performance. Overall, this study asks the question: How can an ambidextrous perspective facilitate improvement in software practices? Driven by this question, and based on a two year action research study at a small software firm, TelSoft, the objectives of this research are to: 1. Identify dualities involved in improving software practices 2. Design interventions based on these dualities to improve software practices 3. Explore the process of becoming an ambidextrous software organization The resulting dissertation consists of a summary and four papers that each identify and address particular dualities encountered during software process improvement. The first paper asserts that both process-driven and perception-driven inquiry should be used during assessment of software practices, presents a model that shows how this combination can occur, and demonstrates the use of this model at TelSoft. The second paper explicates two theories for understanding and resolving issues in requirements engineering practice – repeat-ability and response-ability – and argues for the need to negotiate between the two. The third paper identifies a tension between managing legacy and current processes and proposes a model for software process reengineering, a systematic process for leveraging legacy processes created during prior SPI efforts. Finally, the fourth paper applies the theoretical lens of ambidexterity to understand the overall change initiative in terms of the tension between alignment and adaptability. The study used a variety of data sources to diagnose software practices, including semi-structured interviews, software process documents, meeting interactions, and workshop discussions. Subsequently, we established, facilitated, and tracked focused improvement teams in the areas of customer relations, requirements management, quality assurance, project portfolio management, and process management. Furthermore, we created and trained two management teams with responsibility for ongoing management of SPI and project portfolio management respectively. We argue that these activities improved software practices at TelSoft and provided a stronger foundation for continuous improvement. Keywords: Ambidexterity, software process improvement (SPI), action research, requirements engineering assessment, action planning, software process reengineering, software management.

Business Process (BP) design reflects managerial needs and may directly influence business performance. A good design could substantially increase managerial performance, while a bad one would be inefficient, lack of flexibility, mess cost effective and eventually miss the business strategy. The widespread of information technology has raised the need to redesign or modify business processes in order to fit the trend of automation and computerization. As a result, business process reengineering (BPR) has gained much attention in 1990s. In recent years, a new paradigm, called Service Science, Management and Engineering (SSME), becomes a new management innovation. Service process design becomes a new science that can be applied to support service innovation and management. Previous research on BPR includes two major directions: one focuses on managerial aspects of business processes, including the planning, implementation, and critical factors of BPR; the other focuses on the design aspects pf business processes with a target of making processes more efficient. For research on process design, most deal with the syntactic structure of the process. They analyze the syntax structure of a process. This can help find design errors such as deadlocks, livelocks, and even infinite loops in a process. Not many studies have investigated whether a process design meets its managerial goals. This research presents a knowledge-based approach to dealing with the managerial issue of whether a process design matches specific managerial goals. This thesis contains a new business process modeling method that allows a business process to be diagnosed by knowledge-based rules. We have defined three managerial goals in process design: effectiveness, efficiency, and flexibility. Each activity in a business process has its goal. Through the analysis of activities and their associated goals, we can determine whether a business process is properly designed. In order to show the feasibility of the proposed approach, we have implemented a JAVA-based prototype expert system and used it to check two sample business processes. The contributions of the study are two-fold. Academically, it proposed a new approach for business process diagnosis, which can help determine whether a process meets its managerial goal. In practice, businesses can use the concepts developed in the thesis to make their business processes more effective by matching activities with intended managerial goals.

In the earlier period, large enterprise, developed its management reports system based on files system and the 3rd-generation language. The managers of several departments access management information from the reports system. Because competition stress increasing quickly and information requirement changing frequently, the legacy system could not satisfy the information need of managers. The maintainability of legacy system is decreasing, and the cost is growing up. How to solve the difficulties on system maintenance ? System reengineering is commonly used as a solution. How to choose a good migration strategy is also a big issue. This research focuses on finding a migration strategy for the legacy systems and a methodology of developing EIS based on users¡¦ needs via current new information technologies. The methodology is applied to implement a EIS for a large enterprise in order to verify the feasibility of the methodology. A questionnaire investigation among the users of the new system has clearly shown a fairly good users¡¦ satisfaction.

<p>This report generally focuses on the process of getting medicine from the pharmacy in the hospital. The processes are different in Sweden and in China due to the different concrete conditions. Compared with the Swedish process the Chinese flow lags fairly far behind. To optimize the Chinese process by taking advantage of the Swedish process is the intention of this report; it also gives the advice on how to improve the performance for the Swedish process. By comparing the multiple theories for process improvement, I used Business Process Reengineering (BPR) theory to reengineer the Chinese process and used Continues Process Improvement (CPI) theory to ameliorate the Swedish process. The differences between BPR and CPI are also revealed in this report.</p>

Šiame magistro darbe mes analizuojame nuotolinių studijų kurso bendrai ir mokymo medžiagos atskiromis kurso dalimis pertvarkymą. Reinžinerijos koncepcinis modelis yra įvairiai interpretuojamas ir yra taikomas programinės įrangos rengimo, ar vadybos moksluose. Tai yra daroma, kad sistemas būtų galima geriau panaudoti. Jos analizuojamos ir pertvarkomos tolimesniam naudojimui. Mes sujungiame minėtų sričių reižinerijos koncepto reikšmes ir naudojame tai kaip metodinį pagrindą nuotolinių studijų srityje. Mes analizuojame nuotolinių studijų kurso struktūrą. Tada pristatome kursus paruoštus ir naudojamus užsienio universitetuose, susijusius su ‘Programavimu grafinėje terpėje‘, trigubo pastovumo principu, Bloom taksonomija ir jos pritaikymu kompiuterijos mokslų studijavimui, informatikos mokymo programa 2001 (angl. computing curriculla 2001). Toliau, mes siūlome konceptualią nuotolinių studijų pertvarkos struktūrą iš dėstytojo perspektyvų ir pristatome atvejų analizę, kurioje pora temų yra pertvarkytos, atsižvelgiant į trigubo pastovumo principą ir reikalavimus kompiuterių mokslų studentams. / In this master thesis we analyse a problem of reengineering of a distance study system, in general, and the learning material of a separate course, in particular. Reengineering concept with its different interpretations is used in software engineering and management sciences. It deals with making systems better maintainable, examination and reconstitution of the system for further reimplementation. We combine the meaning of reengineering concept in both mentioned areas and employ it as methodological background in distance study area. We analyse the structure of the distance study course. Then we introduce the courses, prepared and delivered in foreign universities and related to ‘Programming in GUI’ course, triple consistency principle, Bloom taxonomy and its applicability to computer science studies, Computing Curricula 2001. Further, we propose a conceptual distance study course reengineering framework from the lecturer’s perspective and present a case study, in which two topics were reengineered, considering triple consistency principle and requirements for computer science students.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.B.A.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermartzburg, 2006.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 128-131).

Cette thèse vise à proposer de nouvelles méthodes pour transformer les processus de la relation client. Elle entreprend de répondre aux défis que la révolution servicielle et digitale pose dans ce domaine aux démarches d’Excellence Opérationnelle inspirées du Lean management. La thèse postule que la conceptualisation dualiste de l’activité productive constitue la cause racine des difficultés que ces méthodes rencontrent actuellement ; elle cherche dans le pragmatisme et sa perspective non dualiste le développement de nouvelles approches. Pour ce faire, la thèse prend pour objet et propose la réécriture d’un manuel de formation à l’Excellence Opérationnelle. Elle confronte les instructions de ce manuel à l’expérience d’une intervention de transformation d’un processus client dans une société d’assurances. Elle mobilise les concepts pragmatistes pour instruire la critique du processus opérationnel existant et générer des solutions de remplacement. Le dispositif de recherche fait intervenir un praticien chercheur qui combine analyse documentaire, écoute non directive des clients, observation et analyse du travail des conseillers de la relation client et enquête coopérative avec les opérateurs pour faire émerger de nouvelles pratiques. Les trois articles de la thèse couvrent trois étapes existantes ou à introduire d’un projet d’Excellence Opérationnelle et concernent 1) la prise en compte de la complexité de la demande client 2) la définition du périmètre du processus client 3) l’équipement du conseiller client pour construire le sens des situations. / The aim of this dissertation is to propose new methods to transform the customer relationship process. It sets out to address challenges which the digital and service revolution pose to the measures for operational excellence inspired by Lean management. The dissertation assumes that the dualistic conceptualization of production activities is the root-cause of the difficulties faced by Lean management in the recent period. It therefore looks towards pragmatism and its non-dualistic perspective for the creation of new approaches. For this purpose, the dissertation holds, as subject and proposal, the rewriting of a training manual on operational excellence. This study tests the effectiveness of this training manual in the work of transforming a customer process in an insurance company. It adopts pragmatic concepts to carry out a critical assessment of the existing status and offers alternative solution proposals. The applied research device involves a practitioner-researcher who combines record analysis, non-directive listening of customers, observation and analysis of the work done by customer relation counsellors and a cooperative investigation with operators for the setting-up of new practices. The dissertation is divided into three parts that cover three existing or proposed steps in an operational excellence project. They include: 1) taking into account the complexity of the customer demand 2) identifying the scope of the customer process 3) equipping the customer counsellor in the understanding of issues.

Esse trabalho apresenta um método de apoio a analistas do trabalho desenvolvido para suportar estudos de processos de engenharia, especificamente, àqueles desencadeados por engenheiros ao projetarem um produto industrial complexo. Após revisão da literatura a respeito das características dos processos de projeto de produtos complexos, algumas abordagens da engenharia clássica, utilizadas para esclarecer e melhorar esse tipo de processo, são analisadas, com o objetivo de verificar suas abrangências e limitações. Em função destes resultados, uma revisão sobre as abordagens da ergonomia é apresentada, com o objetivo de explorar as mais úteis para compor um método que se aproxime mais da “realidade operacional” do trabalho dos engenheiros, visando esclarecer alguns dos fatores fundamentais para o desempenho dos processos de projeto: o fluxo de informação e a integração do grupo de trabalho. Após o desenvolvimento conceitual do método e da apresentação de sua estrutura, dois estudos realizados em empresas desenvolvedoras de produtos complexos são mostrados, com o objetivo de verificar o desempenho do método em campo industrial: um ocorre junto a uma empresa brasileira de grande porte e o outro, junto a uma empresa inglesa de médio porte. Os resultados dessa pesquisa mostram que, apesar de o método apresentar algumas restrições de origem metodológica, que limitam, parcialmente, a coleta de dados, ele é adequado para contribuir com o esclarecimento de um processo de projeto. O nível de visibilidade do processo, obtido com a aplicação do método, é suficiente para que ele seja analisado e suas deficiências e respectivas causas sejam identificadas, possibilitando assim, a sua correção, otimização e, consequentemente, a melhoria do desempenho do desenvolvimento do produto em geral. / This thesis presents a method to assist work analysts to carry out examinations of engineering processes. Specifically processes related to engineering work undertaken in a design for industrial complex products. Following a literature review detailing features of design processes for complex products, some classical engineering approaches are analysed, these are utilized to clarify and improve this kind of process. The aim is to verify their main ranges and limitations. Based on these results, a literature review concerning some ergonomic approaches is presented, with the aim of exploring the most appropriate ones to compose an original method, suitable for clarifying the “operational reality” of engineers’ work. The goal is to clarify some of the main factors that affect the design process performance: the work group information flow and integration. Following the development of the conceptual method and the method structure, two studies are presented, which have been applied in companies that develop complex products. The aim is to verify the methods performance in an industrial setting; one study takes place in a large Brazilian company and the other in an UK based medium sized company. The research results show that, despite the fact that the method presents some restrictions of methodological origin, whose limits partially relate to the data collection, the method is suitable to contribute to the clarification of a design process. The level of process visibility promoted with the method application, is enough for the process to be analysed and its deficiencies and respective causes to be identified. Therefore process improvement and optimisation are possible and subsequently the improvement of the whole product development performance.

O presente trabalho de pesquisa é uma proposta de modelo de mapeamento e gestão por macroprocessos. Também explora as ligações entre estratégia em operações, gestão por macroprocessos e cultura organizacional. Após revisão da literatura sobre esses temas, é proposto um modelo para o mapeamento dos processos organizacionais incluindo os orientados ao cliente, os de apoio e os de gestão do sistema. Ao modelo é agregada uma componente de cultura organizacional, propondo-se uma metáfora para incentivar os participantes ao trabalho em equipe. O modelo é testado contra dois relevantes referenciais de gestão, sendo o primeiro de “requisitos propostos pelas normas da família NBR ISO 9000” e o segundo de “estado da arte da gestão para a excelência do desempenho e o aumento da competitividade”. O modelo é aplicado em sete organizações dos setores industrial, de serviços e governamental. O pesquisador participa diretamente dos trabalhos de implementação do modelo. Com base nos resultados obtidos, é explorado o relacionamento entre as estratégias em operações, a cultura organizacional e a gestão por macroprocessos. Conclui-se que a existência de uma estratégia definida favorece, mas não impõe a adoção da gestão por macroprocessos. Por outro lado, a adoção da gestão por macroprocessos induz ao estabelecimento de uma estratégia ou permite sua expansão, ao mesmo tempo em que reforça a cultura organizacional para a qualidade / This research proposes a model to process mapping and process management. It also investigates the relationship between three concepts: operations strategy, process management and organizational culture. After reviewing the literature about these three concepts, we propose a new model to represent organizational processes, including those of support, of system management, in addition to those which are client oriented. A cultural component is added to the model, and a metaphor is used in order to gather people to work in teams. The proposed model is then compared to two important management models: the first is the “requirements of ISO 9000 family”, and the second is “the state of art in organizational performance management for increasing competitive goals”. To test the model, we conducted a field research that encompassed seven companies belonging to manufacturing, services and governmental fields. The researcher participated directly in the implementation of the model. Based on the results, the relationship between the three previously mentioned concepts is explored. Our conclusions are that a formalized strategy is not obligatory, but benefits the implementation of process management. On the other hand, adoption of process management can provide more power to the strategies, as well as reinforce the organizational culture for quality.